14 Very Bitter Beings
by CrouchingAppleHiddenMuffin
Summary: When a new law comes into play, 14 campers have to face their toughest challenge ever - an arranged marriage. Not normal pairings, greek guys only, will have a lot of pain and all the differnt forms of love. Because sometimes, 'I Love You' doesn't help. Adopted from Bloodredfirefly with a CrouchingApple spin! This should be interesting.
1. Chapter 1

Dear Half-Bloods,

It is our great honor to announce Zeus's new scheme – arranged marriage! An ancient tradition of our Greek culture, an arranged marriage is done for mutual benefit. We do however understand that in today's American cultures marriages are seen in a very different light, so enclosed are the main reasons why this new marriage law will be beneficial for everyone.

Below is a list of your future spouses, which have been picked by the Lady Artemis and the Lady Aphrodite themselves for having the best chance of you conceiving strong and healthy children, and the best chance of you being friendly as well. You are expected to be married within a month. When you are married your bodies will both be altered so any form of contraception will burn you. Consummation is obligatory.

All those not listed below may choose their own spouses, though they have to be demi-gods from another cabin. Each couple of that nature is required to have at least one child. Timing is up to you.

Artemis is no longer accepting half-bloods as hunters.

THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE LIST

Thalia Grace* & Percy Jackson

Annabeth Chase & Luke Castellan*

Nyssa Felons & Nico di Angelo

Piper McLean & Will Solace

Drew Demos & Leo Valdez

Kate Gardiner & Pollux Viedlum

Clarisse la Rue & Chris Rodriguez

For the enclosed reasons and more general information on the marriage law, please feel free to ask Mr Chiron! Till then, enjoy being killed by monsters!

Zeus, Lord of the Skies.

(Annabeth's POV)

I stared at the noticeboard in silence. I was faintly aware that my mouth was hanging open, and that something in camp was burning because I could smell the smoke. But I didn't move – none of us moved. Maybe forty AHAD kids were crowded around this notice, and not one of us moved. No talking or crying or protesting. We just stared.

Slowly, those who weren't having an immediate arranged marriage – the words made my throat catch, even though I was only thinking them – drifted away, and started to talk to friends. I felt a pair of warm, strong arms encircle me and I closed my eyes. Was this the last time I'd be held by Percy? His warm breath tickled my neck and I could feel tremors run through him, making him shudder and shake. We were getting married. Just not to each other.

"Percy, what do we do?" I whispered, horrified.

"Go to Chiron. Thalia is a huntress, and you're engaged to, well . . . ." He couldn't finish that sentence, and I was glad. I hadn't thought, not even once about who my partner was. I hadn't read the words. He wasn't Percy so I wouldn't think of him. In less than a month, I would presumably be trying for a child with him - but for now, my only stand was to not consider him. I didn't know he was and I didn't want to. At least Percy sounded like he had a better plan – maybe he thought we could appeal? I'd noticed a small star by the name I hadn't read.

I nodded in a dumb way and Percy started leading us through the crowds. No-one stopped us, all of them perfectly aware of our little situation. Well, except me . . . . Deciding that it couldn't hurt any worse than it already did, I glanced back to see who I would be marrying. The moment I saw, my bones froze over and my heart stopped pumping. Luke, Luke Castellan. Panic, fear and even a twinge of embarrassment flooded me, making my lungs shudder painfully. How many times had I written Annabeth Castellan in my head? It was impossible to understand – for the first point, Luke had gone for rebirth. I turned my head to face Percy – I needed to know what he thought, and I needed his quick brain (not that I would ever, ever admit that he was a quick thinker). But his eyes were cold and hard as he took in my gaping face. And I understood fully for the first time. I was marrying his – our – enemy. I was marrying Luke. And though Percy 'forgave' Luke . . . . Well, some things just couldn't be forgotten and Luke had hurt me. Percy loved me, Luke had hurt me and now Cronus's toy was marring me.

Eventually, Percy's light tugging on my arm made me move. It was hard to walk, even when we got away from the crowds because somehow, in the space of a minute, I had lost almost all control over my limbs. I was so focused on putting one foot in front of the other that when I looked up and saw the big house steps, I was mildly surprised to be there. Mildly – I was becoming number and number by the second.

Turning me round, Percy took me by the shoulders and looked straight into my eyes. There was a broken expression on his face that I understood. It was agony to look into those sea-green eyes and know he belonged to another.

"Listen to me Wise Girl. Whatever happens, whether we have to get married to others or not, I will always love you. No matter what. But to get through this, I need you to snap out of it and stand tall with me. I need you to do that with me. We have to find a way. There is always a way." He spoke, and I desperately wanted to agree. But my throat wouldn't work, stinging painfully when I tried to move it. Instead, I pulled up my lips and smirked, then danced up the steps in the way I know he liked. I flounced through the door, even though it killed me, because Percy needed me to be strong.

Inside, I saw everyone on the list was there but Thalia and Luke. Even Nico was there, looking pale and staring at his shoes. Chiron sat at the head of the table looking grave, in his wheelchair form. Dionysus wasn't present, which was quite smart of him. I could bet that the Stoll brothers were already planning something big to prove their annoyance, and this time, the entire camp would likely be with them.

Banging his fist on the table, Chiron called for our attention. Pointless as the room was quieter than a funeral parlor. Once all eyes were on him, he began.

"Demi-gods! You are the chosen few who have been matched by the gods to a spouse, in order to aid us all. It is an honor, even if it doesn't seem that way to you now. But please remember that to your mothers and fathers, this is no insult. They are doing what they believe to be best, not intentionally hurting you." Hurting us? They didn't know what agony was.

"As you are well aware, the reasons for this choice have been sent to us, though the gods have chosen to remain anonymous as to how they voted. It was an even and fair vote where the twelve main Olympians devised the new law and then voting on its being passed. Lord Zeus has requested I tell you this, so you understand it was not just his decision." Chiron looked around the room, daring us to go against the words of Zeus, before picking up a piece of paper in front of him.

"This marriage law is needed because Lord Hades recently did a series of tests on Tartarus for Lord Zeus. The results showed that in around twelve years' time, a mass wave of monsters will descend. As far as Lord Hades can estimate, this is because a lot of monsters were raised and killed in the War, and now they are all regenerating at the same time. And before you worry, this cycle will break as the leftover monstrous energy settles – this sudden rise of hundreds of monsters will only happen once. We think. We find it necessary to be as ready as possible and as such, the Gods have seen fit to do as they have done. Each couple is expected to have at least one child. When you have it is your decision, but keep in mind that the longer you wait the younger he or she will be.

They also want to remind you that marriage is a sacred act and not to be violated in any way. You will live as husband and wife and we shall make accommodation for you. Adultery can and will get you smote to ashes. Thank you. I know you'll have much to discuss with each other, so I will take my leave from you. Percy, Annabeth if you will come with me."

Several of the others tried to speak, protesting about what had happened, but Chiron silenced them with a look. I realized that Chiron wasn't being cold towards us because he thought we were being childish, but rather that he hadn't expected this at all.

Something tugged at my gut, but I ignored it. Following slowly after Chiron's wheelchair, I watched as he got onto the porch and transformed back into his centaur form. Percy and I walked next to each other but there was a distance I couldn't ignore. Soon, we would be separated from each other forever and we were mentally and emotionally preparing ourselves by putting a small amount of distance between ourselves. Weren't our natural protection instincts wonderful? Shaking my head, I allowed Chiron to lead us into the woods.

Percy POV:

I'd imagined losing her so many ways to Luke, but never like this. Memories of my old fears came back to mock me as the replayed in my head. Luke kidnapping Annabeth. Annabeth deciding Luke was right about the gods and joining him. Their obvious care they had for each other morphing into love and them disappearing to live in Jamaica. Hey, they were my fears, and it could happen. But this was much more terrifying.

We were following the trail to the Council of Elders clearing, and all around me were memories, like they were imprinted in the rocks. Not just ones of Annabeth and I either – there were ones of me and Thalia too.

Thalia. She was a huntress for pity's sake, and my cousin. She was rather beautiful – but it was a discredit to Annabeth to think that and no matter what, I couldn't lose what I had with Annabeth. It was too special, too wonderful to give up. I knew it would be hard, almost impossible, but I simply couldn't let go. We may be killed for being in love but we would have to do it anyway – we would have to be commit adultery.

Firstly, I had to work out how they were planning to sense when we violated the rules. If we were going to be rigged up to an alert panel there would be little chance, because we would have to break the alert without them realizing it – and as the machine would probably be made by Hephateus and kept on Olympus – can you see the problem?

But if they were relying on our wives and husbands to tell on us, then we'd have a fair shot. We'd had to convince Thalia and Luke to do it but that should be easy enough. Luke owed us and Thalia would hate the idea of matrimony – she would probably think it a good idea to run wild just to annoy the gods. Not that they would know, but still. She would do it.

More confident now, I arrived at my final problem. How was Luke to return from the frickin' dead? And don't tell me, easy they just fetch him from Hades like he's been at his grandma's or something. He's been _reborn_. As in, he's a baby – and how many babies are there in this world? I was almost able to convince myself it had been a typo.

"Percy and Annabeth. As you will have noticed, your future spouses are somewhat inaccessible." Chiron began, gesturing for us to sit down in the grass, which we did.

"You can say that again" muttered Annabeth next to me, her chin stuck out and her arms crossed grumpily. Of course I love Annabeth very much, and thought she always looked beautiful but she looked so much like a stroppy child that I snorted – earning myself a dark glare from Chiron.

"So I feel I should better explain. Firstly, there is no point in appealing to the gods. When they realized the fate of all four of you, there was uproar – none of the gods, especially not Aphrodite and Zeus wanted to let this happen. But you have to understand that the gods had already sworn on the river Styx to go through with the plan, and the answers were calculated, to use the mortal term, by machine." Damn. There went that route.

"Secondly, I know this is tough for you but I ask that you are as nice as you can to be to Thalia. I know that you're both feeling a whole range of emotions about Thalia but your perspective on the current situation is different, and I want you to remember how shocking this is for her. You are her friends and her family and soon to be Percy's wife. Whether consciously or not, you have already accepted that should one of you two die, you will find another partner and live with them – Thalia never expected she would marry. I ask – no beg you to be patient with her. She has to leave the hunters for this and is becoming mortal again – that's where she is now." Ok, so how guilty did I feel? I hadn't even thought of Thalia's hurt and pain and shock once, I couldn't believe myself. I felt terrible to have forgotten my friend's feelings. What sort of husband was I? Wait, why am I thinking that? We aren't even married for pity's sake!

"And Luke?" Annabeth asked in a small voice, her eyes wide. I wanted to hug her, to hold her to my chest and whisper to her how much I loved and believed in her. Seeing her almost crying but being unable to do anything made me promise that I would one day hold her again. She was my girl, and nothing could ever, ever change that. Except perhaps the almighty ones who would smite me for fun. That's a pretty good reason... More or less.

Annabeth's POV:

It felt strange, asking about Luke. Nico had made it clear it would be unsafe for him to check on Luke's soul so in general life had went on – and as long as we never talked about Luke, acting as though he never existed, we were good. And I liked that. I didn't want to talk about him, I had nothing to say.

"Luke is a special case. I know you were told he was going for rebirth, but the gods had a feeling that he would be needed, so they convinced him to hang around in Hades. Should you decide to take Luke as your husband, Luke will rise exactly how he died – free of Kronos."

"Should I? What, so I have a choice?" Excitement bubbled within me. Why had nobody mentioned this earlier?

"No. Like I told the others, there is no point in running. This is your fate. He should be here soon, as I assume Lord Hades has already resurrected him." The excitement vanished, and dread took its place. Oh gods.. How could they be so cruel? Freaking lunatics! To even think for a second that I could bring myself to love that bastard!

But before I could say anything, I heard a single branch snap and I whirled to face someone. A certain blue eyed girl with a bow on her back and an attitude.

It was time to say hello to my best friend – and my boyfriend's future wife.

Thalia was here. And she did not look happy.


	2. Chapter 2

The Flower Of Jealousy

Thalia POV:

I'd been planning on ghosting in behind them, waiting till Annabeth and Percy left and then ambushing Chiron. Artemis had already discussed everything with me, but I wanted a second opinion. After all, being told that your vow of eternal virginity has been revoked and that you must marry someone not of your choosing is more than enough to spark fury.

_Flashback_

"_Thalia, may I have a word with you?" I looked up in surprise at Lady Artemis, who I thought had been busy on an emergency council. But she was standing there, in one of her older aspects, as beautiful and graceful as ever. But she seemed less full of life than normal, her smile slightly strained as the other hunters ran to hug and welcome her._

_I stood up obediently, and as soon as she had extracted herself from one of the youngsters grasp, she led the way to her tent. We always put it up, even if she wasn't with us, as a mark of respect and dedication. I smiled warmly at her as I knelt on one of the soft rugs. My smile soon disappeared as I noticed the look on her face. _

"_Thalia, I have news for you.." She spoke somberly as she pulled an envelope out of one of her pockets. She passed it over and I saw my name on the front, as well as various Olympus symbols. Hermes, the Council, even my Dad's was on here. This would not be good news._

"_Before you open it, I want you to know I will always be with you. You're like a daughter to me, and I love you and wish you well. You don't deserve this.." That scared me, looking into her silver eyes as she sounded so mournful. I hadn't seen her like that since Zoe died._

_Tearing open the letter, I read it in a daze. I barely even heard it when Artemis told her the reasons for the law, and about Luke. There was a sort of pain tingling at the edges of my consciousness, but for now I was numb and in shock._

"_Thaila's darling, are you alright?" The feel of Artemis's arms around me, comforting and kind made me wake up. _I'm getting married. _The words vibrated around my skull unhappily – and I was marrying Percy. Was it bad that I was glad it was him?_

"_Of course not darling. Percy's your best friend and someone you trust. He'll take care of you and in time, he may even come to love you and hold you. Don't feel bad that you're marrying him. Rejoice that you could do worse. Much worse." Of course – with a goddess around, you never know which of your thoughts are private. Leaning into Artemis, I took a deep breath. My head was spinning, I could scarcely believe what I had read. My thoughts were running in a thousand different directions at once. I thought of camp, of Percy, and everyone else I had left behind.. Annabeth! _

"_What about Annabeth!?" I cried out, searching for some reason for my suffering. "She's like my little sister! How could the gods do this!? They're making me marry her boyfriend! The love of her life for pete's sake! She'll despise me!"_

"_Perhaps, but she is much smarter than you give her credit for at the moment. This affects her as well of course, but she will see that there is no alternative. Save only to die. Have faith in your friend, she will see that you are trying to make the best of this. Hopefully, she will as well.__"_

"_Alright then, how about kids? And sex? And running a household? I have no clue what I'm doing here. I can't raise a kid. And sex, well.. I didn't want to have to screw anyone! That's why I did this in the first place.." The lovely thing about Artemis is that she understood. I didn't need to explain to her how I felt. She understood that the idea of sex with Percy was embarrassing, disgusting, terrifying and just a __little bit attractive. A guilty, I-should-never-be-feeling-this attraction. I didn't want to think about it, how it would feel to run my hands over his bare chest or if he would kiss me all over. A thought that was firmly ingrained in my mind and would not go away. A sentiment that she understands._

"_Yes. I may never have made love but I understand attraction very well, and I have seen millions of families in my life time. I'm sorry I can't protect you from this. I'm sorry you were born a child of Zeus and so have to marry Percy – just to get a strong future leader. I'm sorry for all the pain you're in now. But if there's anything I can help with, tell me. I'll always be here to advice you and look after you."_

_Needless to say, I was freaking out. I was still in shock from the letter and this conversation wasn't helping. I didn't understand what why this was happening to me and I was on the verge of tears, but what would come next would rock me even further._

"_Now little one, are you ready to be released from your vow of maidenhood?" My eyes widened as pure unadulterated fear crashed down upon me like a tidal wave. I felt a solitary tear fall from my eye as I realized what I was leaving behind.. again.. My sisters, the hunt, immortality, I had to sacrifice everything just to create a leader for the next generation.. Those bastards.. Artemis pulled me from my reverie with a cough, signaling the need to get on with it. I sighed deeply and nodded._

"_We are changing the words around slightly for this, as you are not breaking the pledge willingly. Repeat after me. I, Thalia Grace accept that I must leave the Hunt and return to the company of men. I leave immortality, my sisters and my oath but I do not swear never to return." With a large measure of regret, I repeated the words._

"_And I, Lady Artemis, release you from your oath but allow you to continue seeing the Olympian life, and do not take thy memories from you." She smiled, and the fire which had flared bright dimmed down again._

_Flashback Ends_

So yes, I'd been trying to ghost in behind them. Of course I'd forgotten one vital thing – I was no-longer a huntress. When I sneaked up on someone, I wouldn't just automatically become totally soundless. I was loud and ungraceful and sisterless and I felt like crying because of it. Not what you normally expected when you see an engaged girl.

Cracking a twig under my foot, a certain black haired, sea-green eyed boy swung round to face me. He looked shocked and unhappy as he slowly got to his feet, holding out a hand to help Annabeth up. He was gentle with her, but solid as well – back a million years ago, when the world still made sense and I still had a place in it, I thought he made a good boyfriend. That one-day he'd make a good husband. I just never thought I'd be the one wearing his ring, I thought it would be Annabeth . . . . Who was now staring at me with a look of pity and jealousy. Weird combination that – oh, and don't forget self-hatred. I was ripping my friend apart.

"So, I heard this is where the party's going on." Sarcastic. Nice, Thalia, nice.

"Yes well, Annabeth we need to discuss some things – if you'll come with me, please." Wait, was Chiron crazy? No fucking way was he was leaving me _alone_ with Percy – if I'd planned at all, I would have wanted hours of time to get used to being in the same room as him. Now we were alone in the woods. That was just dandy, wasn't it. Damn centaur – two thousand years old and still didn't have the slightest clue when it came to women.

Placing his hand on Annabeth's shoulder, he steered her away and walked into the woods. She looked back once at Percy, with such love and fear in her eyes it made me want to look away. He lowered his hand slowly to his side and looked me straight in the eyes.

Suddenly, I wondered what he saw. I never thought to brush up or even look in the mirror before I came here. Somehow, my appearance wasn't foremost on my mind – but I was suddenly aware that I'd climbed under several overhanging bushes and got caught a few times. I probably had leaves and twigs in my hair and mud all other my clothes. Blushing under Percy's gaze, I glanced down at me hands. The nails were caked in mud.

But then again, it didn't really matter. I wasn't Annabeth – he would never see me as a girl, no matter what I looked like.

Percy's POV:

She was beautiful, with her hair all messy and one side of her top pulled back so you could just see a tiny bit of her skin. She was beautiful in a very, very Thalia way – real and fiery and wild but graceful and composed all the same. Organized_ Chaos_. Pretty hot really. Desperate to do something, anything that would get my mind of what she looked like, I said one of my witty, intelligent ice-breaker comments.

"So, were um . . . ."

"Having an arranged marriage, fucking and then having kids?" Dammit, how had I not seen how hot she looked when she was angry?

"Yeah, that one. Without the swear words." At least my throat was working. For now.

Dismissively she waved her hand, but before she could say anything, the call for food came. Was it lunch or breakfast? Whatever, I was hungry. I looked at Thalia questioningly and she nodded once. Slowly, awkwardly, we walked through the forest towards the hall. We were about a hundred meters from the hall when I suddenly had a really bad, totally stupid idea that I did anyway.

Breaking off a weird blue flower, I handed it over to Thalia. She took it, looking surprised.

"I know it's not an olive branch, but, friends?" She didn't say anything, just nodded once and kept walking. I thought I saw the smallest of smiles on her face, but you never know.

The thing is, I'd just realized that I'd been so focused on losing my love with Annabeth that I hadn't even thought of my friendship with Thalia – argued and fought with her, I trusted her with my life and comforted her without saying the words. We'd been through a lot together and I didn't want the friendship I had with her to get replaced by hours of awkwardness. Our walk had told me that much.

I gulped as we approached the hall. I kept my chin up and my eyes down, but I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Well, us really. I breathed through my nose and, with a glance at Thalia went to go stand, alone, at my place. When everyone was assembled, we went in. Chiron was there, and Annabeth was at his side – looking small, innocent and breath-taking next to the tall centaur. We raised our glasses to the gods, and we scraped our food into the fire. Looking down at it, I didn't really know what to pray for.

"Um, just that Annabeth and I can be happy together, I guess" and then I paused, glancing around at all the others who were getting 'married'. "Can we all be happy." I slid the food off my plate and walked over to my table, looking up to see Annabeth there. I sat down so I was facing the queue. For a second I thought I caught sight of an odd expression on Thalia's face. It was angry, and if it had been anyone else, I would have said jealous. But she was staring at Annabeth and that would mean . . . . But then she smoothed it out, smiled at me and walked over. Dumping her plate next to Annabeth's, she gave her a shy grin.

"I didn't realize we were rule breaking. How long have you been sitting here?" She asked, sounding calm and composed. It was almost too perfect – a subtle mixture of excitement, amusement and mild curiosity, making her sound like she was just chatting with a friend she hadn't seen for a long time. But then, I was probably reading too much into it – I waved it away from my mind and started eating.

"On and off since last summer. I'm sorry you had to leave the Hunters. Do you know who the new second will be?"

"Well, Artemis hasn't named her yet, but there's a girl called Michelle – she's only seven biologically, and her human life was quite traumatic but Artemis really likes her and she's been with the Hunters for nearly a century, so probably her. When's Luke, um, 'arising'? " She put little quotations around arising, and it was really quite cute.

"He'll be here this afternoon." It didn't hurt when she said that. It burned. She was to marry Luke. Letting him come back, opening up all that pain again. Letting him start governing her life again, and soon her body would be his too . . . . _Stop Percy. Don't think of that._ I shut it off, refused to think about anything to do with them as a couple.

"And the god's trust him?" Talk about being subtle, Thalia.

"Well, they've been talking to him whilst he was dead and I think Lord Hermes went down to visit him, so they've decided to give it a go. They trust me to keep him in line apparently, so that's good." Good? How was that good? It was painful, and there was a moment of awkward silence, no-one able to think of anything to say. Then Annabeth stood up, leaving most of her food behind. That surprised me. As a half-blood with experience of being hungry, she wasn't one to let food go to waste. But before I could say anything, she was out the door.

"Well, that was odd." Thalia commented.

"Yes. Something tells me she's had a bad morning..." I said seriously, and she chuckled. I gave her a weary smile and stood up, having finished my food. Thalia joined me and we headed out towards the training arena. It was less awkward and more like two people who didn't know each other very well, still on undecided ground, doing something together 'cause we had to. I still bore the Curse of Achilles so I never sword trained, but I grabbed some straw and started re-stuffing the dummies. Just behind me I could see Thalia – for one second, she stared at the dummies. Then she attacked them so fast I could barely even see the moves she made. She slashed, hacked, swung her spear and butted them with her shield. Finally, she stood there and panted, surrounded by straw.

"You can stuff them again now." Always the sense of humor, my Thalia.

Wait – my Thalia?

Where on earth did that come from? Annabeth and I were... Oh right.


	3. Chapter 3

Fire

Nyssa POV:

When I was five, I turned to my mum and asked her who I would marry. And she just smiled at me and told me that the man I would marry would be the most amazing, most wonderful man in the world. When I asked why she said simply 'Because your love for them will make them perfect'. It was one of my happiest memories, before everything started going wrong.

But she was wrong. Because I was marrying a monster.

Ok, maybe Nico wasn't that bad – but I didn't trust him. Or like him. Or understand him. I'm a loner, and when one loner meets another loner, we normally understand them. But Nico was a mystery.

And the only mystery or puzzle that intrigued me involved mechanics.

Turning away from the squabbling crowd, I knew the one place I could bear to be now. I slipped out the big house's door, not even glancing around for Nico. Ugh, his name left a bad taste in my mouth. I slipped into a sprint as I zigzagged around tree's, heading for the bunker. It was always dangerous these woods and I remembered when I was ten and had just joined. Beckendorf had ruffled my hair and walked through the woods with me. 'Never come out here alone, now. Not if you value your life'. He sounded so much like a weird pirate that I giggled. I couldn't even describe how much I missed him.

And now I was breaking his rules. Around me something snuffled but I just kept running. I had to reach the bunker, before I went crazy. For me, it was life or death – if a monster attacked me now, it would kill me. If I took enough time to be cautious, I would keel over. So I just ran.

I could see the Bunker's secret door from here, but I knew I wasn't fast enough. Something tackled me from behind and I fell with a groan. Funny how, even at the end, I could still feel pain. I rolled over the way I'd been taught and lashed out with all the fury this stupid marriage law had caused me. All the pain – kick – all the anger – punch – all the misery – knee jerk – all the shame – foot stamp. I had no weapon and I wasn't Hercules. This creature would kill me for sure, but I may as well beat it up properly first. It's claws raked into my face and hot blood fell like tears down my face. But it didn't matter. Dropping onto the ground, I surrendered. There was nothing left to live for.

Even as the black shape lunged, something else seemed to move with it. Cutting it down as it leapt for my throat, I closed my eyes. I didn't know if I was happy or sad that I wasn't about to die. When had things gone so downhill? Oh yeah, this morning.

I certainly wasn't pleased by _who _had saved me. I'll give you one guess as to who it was.

"Nyssa, are you alright?" Nico. If it was anyone else, I would have jumped up, embarrassed to need saving. But the sound of his voice made me feel suddenly exhausted. I threw one harm over my eyes are tried to think of a way to make him leave.

"Go away, Nico." Yeah, great plan Naz, well done on that one.

"No. Not till I know your fine." So he can marry me, take my virginity and make me have kids with him? Ok, maybe he didn't want this either but he hadn't protested, had he?

_You didn't protest. You just left Nico to wonder where you were and face everyone by himself _said the little voice in the back of my head. And if anyone calls it reason, I will punch their lights out.

"I would be much, much better off if you just went away, Nico" I said slowly. Please, please just let him leave. For a moment he was silent, and my heart leapt – but when was my life easy?

"You'd be better off lying there, unarmed, surrounded by monsters?" OK, I admit it. I peeked. Raising my arm slightly, I glanced at him. He was standing right on top of me – not to the side, but above my hips. His black hair, the same colour as mine, was chin length in an incredibly sexy way and he was wearing all black - with his black jacket unzipped, you could see his black t-shirt underneath, straining over his muscles. He wasn't buff the way my brothers and to an extent I was, but in a compact way. Wait, what in Hades? Was I really thinking this?

My eyes traveled upwards again, and I realized that he had seen me checking him out. Oh, not good. He didn't smirk at me, but I could sense a question in the air – he wouldn't acknowledge me checking him out, he checked me out. So I lay there as he looked me over, hiding my eyes again. Fair was fair after all – except, of course, that I liked what I saw (whether I liked that I liked what I saw was a different question) but there was no way he would see me that way.

Years in the forges coupled with my dad's godly genes had made my muscles built like – and this is Leo's description, not mine – a female action hero's, about to go round shooting down aliens with a machine gun. I had super muscled arms, brown greasy skin and hands better built for bending metal than holding a guy's hand . . . . Or other bodily area.

Of course that made me blush so much that I instantly pushed myself forwards into sitting position. Which catapulted my face into Nico's bodily area, so that my eyes were level with his belt and my lips were level with you know where. It was perhaps the most awkward moment of my life, unable to even look at him, knowing full well that he could see down my top and still unable to move. And then we both moved away from each other so fast we were blurs.

Now standing with my arms crossed, I glared at Nico. My hair had come out of its band and was falling around my face, and I pushed it back angrily.

"Well? I'm up now; did you have a reason for following me?" I said, trying to sound as haughty and cold as I could. When you've play with fire all your life that's not an easy thing to do. Oh, and of course I was blushing furiously, just to top it off.

"Only that were getting married. But you know - nothing important." Of course he managed to sound unfazed and neutral. Of course he did.

"Right. Right." I started pacing, trying to clear my head. Nico just watched me impassively. I stopped dead and sighed. "Why us?"

"Because the gods are tied to the old ways of doing stuff, I had the bad luck to be Hades kid and you had the bad luck to be compatible with me." Ok, I wasn't expecting a straight answer. Or a rational one. Turning towards him, I walked over till we were toe to toe. For a second I thought I saw admiration or even awe flash in his eyes – but then they returned to being dark and guarded. For a second, saw fire in them.

For a second, that look in his eyes was a kind of flame, and we were dancing in fire. I wasn't the loner girl stuck in the past and he wasn't the death boy swallowed up by the souls of Hades. We were us, a new kind of fire blended from us both.

But then the moment ended, and we went back to being the metal and the dead, two things that just don't mean anything to each other. We went to being just two kids in a forest who had to do a job for their parents. We went back to being nothing.

And that flame went out.


	4. Chapter 4

Knock, Knock, Knock

Luke's POV

Maybe I should have seen it coming – all those questions about marriage they had asked me in Hades, always asking what I missed most about life, what I had wanted from my future. And I was always careful, unsure of what to say because I didn't know what I was saying. I hadn't really thought about it till they asked me, but when I did, I realized that I would have wanted nothing more to marry Annabeth. So I said that, in the end.

Actually, I didn't have a chance at foreseeing this. This was the weirdest, scariest and most painful thing the gods had ever done to me. Because, yes I had said the words, 'I would have wanted nothing more than to marry Annabeth and live with her for the rest of our lives, if I hadn't chosen Kronos.' I even said it to my father, when he came. But when I said that, I was thinking that she would, you know, love me back. And want me, and trust me and that I would be her protector, not her nightmare.

I wasn't thinking that she would hate me. That she would blame me, rightly so, for almost every scar on her heart and on her skin. That when she touched me, she would be fighting desire – not the urge to strangle me. But I wasn't a fool. I knew how much she hated me, and that _hate_ of everything about me would be the dominant part of our relationship. I had screwed up in a monumental way. Betrayed everyone who ever cared about me, I deserved to burn in Hades for all of eternity, but the fates seemed to have had other plans.

Shuddering, I walked slowly up the path to the Big House. I was incredibly, immensely glad of my time as Councilor for the Hermes cabin. With all those little kids needing help in my cabin, I'd quickly learned how to walk without being seen. It wasn't an act of magic. It was just the art of being invisible, something every high school loner understood.

Normally, before I left, I would have just strolled straight into the big house. This time, I knocked. And regretted it immediately.

I'd forgotten how beautiful Annabeth looked. Not intentionally – I couldn't count how many hours I'd spent, just lying around in Hades and trying to recall every small detail about her – but it had slipped through the cracks all the same. I'd remembered, for instance, how her hair was soft and lightly curly and how she'd tuck it behind her ears when she was wanted it out the way. But I forgot how it caught the light like a halo, how it would make her dangerous steel gray eyes look soft and sweet, and how one of the curls would wrap around her neck, emphasizing her tan. Little things like that, things I had missed so much.

For a second she smiled at me, a kind smile that said everything about how much she'd changed. She used to smile like that before camp, when we were a team, on the run. That innocent, honest smile that made me feel warm all over. It hadn't always been there – Thalia and I had worked so hard to make her happy when we first found her.

At first she had been nice, sweet and just an all-round amazing and lovely kid – but a guarded one too. And it had taken hours and hours of holding her and reassuring her and protecting her to make her trust us. It had been the best feeling in the world. Then we met my dad, got found by Grover, and when Thalia died . . . . I cried so hard that night. But even though Annabeth was there, in my arms, she wasn't there. The walls were back up. And I couldn't find the energy or the soul to take them down again – so I distanced myself. We didn't hang out together, didn't talk like we used to. People stopped thinking of us as Luke _and_ Annabeth as our relationship just disappeared.

And no-one else knew that when she smiled, it wasn't her real smile. It was a guarded smile, but no-one realized, because they hadn't seen her proper smile, that 'I don't need defenses' look. Except now they had – and I would bet anything, the world, that Percy had put it there. Percy Jackson, while he did save me from being obliterated by the spirit of Kronos, I still harbored no small amount of jealousy for the man. He had Annabeth right under his finger. They were in love, and I was happy for them. Hindsight is 20/20 and in retrospect, they probably would have ended up together anyway.

But I would take her guarded smile any day, compared to the look she gave me when she realized it was me. She didn't look angry or mad or unhappy or hurt – I could deal with all those things, somehow. No, she looked blank. No emotion, completely uncaring and completely dead. Of course, it was a complete lie – but I didn't know how to do anything, except from give her the same blank, perfectly controlled look. It felt like a mask sliding over my face, holding me in place, even though I wanted nothing more than to crush her to my chest and smell her scent and know she was _here, _safe and in my arms. However, I knew that I was less than nothing to her. A bug to be crushed underfoot. An insignificant idiot from her past who had done everything in his power to betray her. Crush her. Even kill her. She hadn't believed in my betrayal, but I had made her believe. I had made her hate me. I used her on every occasion to my advantage. She was a toy to be used then thrown out. So I just wore my mask and restrained myself in light of all that.

This pain was worse than torment in Hades. This was my own personal Hades.

Annabeth's POV

I admit it. I daydreamed. For just an hour or so, I lay on the big house couch, where I wouldn't be disturbed, and dreamed of Percy and me. A month or so after the war, we'd gone and got donuts and laughed about the monster donut chain thing. It had been awkward and perfect at the same time and we just ended up in fits of laughter over nothing. And when he kissed me, it was the most amazing thing in the world, and I was just so, so happy. So I daydreamed of that for a while, because it was the best day of my life, free of all pain and I needed to remember that.

And when the knock came on the door, I didn't hesitate to answer it, presuming it to be a new camper who didn't have the confidence to just waltz in. I smiled absently, still lost in my dream, before I saw who it was.

I shut down. Looking at him, it was like the war never ended. All the pain and the fear and the mistrust and the horrible sense of being alone consumed me. And that hatred of what he'd done to me and my home, hating him for leaving me when he promised we would be a family, hating him because I still loved him – all my old war time feelings, they just came back like a tidal wave was crashing over me.

But I didn't show any of this. Because of that old armor, the complete ability to hide myself came back too. I nodded once, turned round and walked back in, trying to hide how small and scared I looked by stretching out lazily on the sofa. He just stood there, and my eyes flashed to his face. He truly hadn't changed – the long scar still marred his features, and he still had a tiny scar on the side of his neck. He'd got it when we were play fighting, all those years ago on the streets. I always looked at that scar, instead of the one on his face – it felt special to me.

Now, I just blocked that feeling out. Luke wasn't special to me, he was nothing to me. I had thought that maybe, one day, I could learn to trust him. I knew that we would never be like we were before, but I thought that we could build a relationship and be happy together, up to a point.

Now, I knew things would never change. Not just because _I_ was burning whenever I looked at him – his face was a mask. He had committed suicide out of guilt, not love. I had thought that he would love me, and care for me and be sorry for what he'd done – that I would be the only one who had to learn to love. But he was in exactly the same pose as me – dead. Not looking me in the eyes. When I did catch his gaze however, something flickered across his eyes, and then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. It looked suspiciously like amusement, and that made me mad.

Silence filled the room. Tension filled me as well as rage, and maybe a little guilt. He had betrayed me after all. "I did everything for you! You said we'd be a family you fucking bastard!" I snapped out, and he looked up in shock. I hoisted myself up onto my hand, not wanted to lie down in front of the enemy. Battle training never leaves you. "You lied to me. You turned to Kronos. You left me behind.. How do you think that made me feel? I was left her to try and defend you. I couldn't believe it.. but you proved it to me didn't you.."

"Good to see you too.." He sounded guarded, unsure and a little freaked out. I refused to feel pity for him, the hand I was propped up on shaking with the effort of holding me – it was the arm I hurt in the war, and sometimes it just hurt a bit. But I wouldn't move. It would count as submission in my mind.

"I can't believe the Gods are making me marry you." Childish, and a pained look crossed his face. I suddenly wondered where my blank mask went – now I just looked bitter. He didn't say anything, just shifted about on his feet, not sitting down.

Giving in, I collapsed on my arm and just lay there. I could feel Luke's eyes on me, and long buried memories of when I was fourteen resurfaced. Exhausted and on the edge of delirium, I had just taken the weight of the sky for Luke – only to find it had been a trick. I was kept in a room, not a cell though I was too unwell to do anything other than sleep. Sleep and have nightmares about Luke standing there and watching me. Only to wake and catch glimmers of Luke disappearing out of the doorway.

"Stop looking at me." I said, though I almost snarled it. Luke's head snapped up, and for the first time, his eyes glowed with anger.

"Stop looking at you?" He asked, incredulous. "Were getting _married_, Annabeth. We're going to have to do a lot more than look at each other. What kind of mother will you be if you're nothing but cold to your husband?"

It felt like someone had punched me in the gut, dipped me in acid and poured ice into my veins all at the same time. I couldn't believe he still had this amount of power over me, but as the last shreds of the mask fell away, I jumped up. I had to get out – go anywhere but with him. The anger slid from his face and shock replaced it.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" He made a move to stop me, but I evaded him, running out the big house down to my cabin. Walking in, I ignored all the stares, and went over to the wall.

You think having dug under the ground to extend your cabin is cool? Well, we recreated the Labyrinth.

Ok, that's an exaggeration. It's not really like the labyrinth, though it uses the same magic and ideas. When I'd come up with the idea and showed it to my siblings, they hadn't got it. Till Malcolm suddenly shouted out that it was just like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter, whatever that is. You just touched your hand to the clear space in the wall, and a door appeared. Go in, and whatever you want was in there. A weapons arena stocked with monsters, a bathroom, a forest in full summer bloom.

We try not to overtax it too much though, in case someone notices, so you're banned from making a room that you could just go to anyway, like how you couldn't make the strawberry fields. Oh, and whilst you may dream up a room full of weapons, you can't take them out. We had to remain inconspicuous – this was not 'allowed' stuff.

I didn't really know what I wanted when I touched my personal mark – you can have rooms overlap, so even if my brother is in here I can still be here too – but I was instantly glad when I found out. A warm, cozy room that was instantly recognizable as my room before my dad moved to San Francisco. There was my comfy bed, complete with golden sheets and a bowl of homemade soup on the bedside table. Dropping onto the bed, I was exhausted.

"_We're going to have to do a lot more than look at each other. What kind of mother will you be if you're nothing but cold to your husband?"_ I don't think anyone has ever, ever said anything so hurtful to me. _Have to_. He said have to – as if sex with was nothing but a chore to him. Yeah, I felt unwanted, ugly, uncomfortable and pushy, as if I was the one who was forcing him to marry me. In general, everything I hadn't felt with Percy.

Which made me think – I hadn't thought of Percy since I'd opened that door. What was wrong with me?


	5. Chapter 5

Better Off – Clarisse POV

Standing there in the big house, I hadn't bother ranting, like everyone else had been. I could see it in their eyes that they didn't want to hear me complain. In their eyes, I had nothing to complain of – everyone already knew that I was hopelessly in love with Chris and him with me, and that we would have got married anyway, and blah blah blah.

Except, that's not how it looks to me. Because I do love Chris, really I do. Incredibly, head over for heals for him. And in a way, I could see myself living with him for the rest of our scarred, dangerous and probably short lives. He completes me, cares for me, calms me down when I'm angry, understands when I'm scared and holds me when I'm in pain. He's everything a boyfriend should be. He's everything a husband should be. He's everything a father should be.

And I'm not. Maybe I make an alright, if troublesome girlfriend. OK, I'm hell to live with and will make a crap wife but Chris told me months ago that he loves me for exactly how I am, and that I wouldn't be me if I wasn't so strong, and that he loves me for what I stand for . . . . That had been a very good night. The best of my life. But I swore never, ever to be a mother.

It was years and years ago, when I was making my way to camp. I knew of its existence because I'd met Ronny, a satyr who had died to help me – the first of many to die in my place. He had told me where camp was but it was still the most terrible, horrific journey of my life.

Six years old, twenty miles of land to cross. And a final fight at the bottom of Half-Blood Hill. I can still remember that day, when the other campers ran down to help me. As a team, we struggled up the hill, constantly attacked by hellhounds and other monsters. I remember that one boy, he only looked about eleven, but he held onto my hand and encouraged me till we were two thirds of the way up. And then he was impaled by a sword flung at his back, and his blood splattered on my arm. So I reached out and took hold of his stained T-Shirt, and hauled him up with me, with him screaming in agony all the while.

It took an eternity to get up the hill, but when we did, I knelt down and touched his face. And he smiled at me softly, beyond fixing and said something I'll never forget.

"You're strong. Stronger than me. Remember me, because I'm forgetting myself." I didn't understand him, but he was already gone. And I stood up and looked over camp half-blood, saw it's mansion and woods and shiny cabins. Ronny, my beloved Ronny, had described this place as one of salvation, and happiness and a place where I might be accepted, to become part of something amazing.

And there _was_ that. There was triumph, glory, honor. Everything I'd dreamed of – a war where I could be a spearhead. Somewhere where I could be a somebody, where I could have a part to play. But there was also something in their eyes, in their expressions. Not in all of them, and some had it more than others. But it was a look you saw on drunks sometimes, or on the kids in high school who took drugs. A sort of lost look, a different look.

_Remember me, because I'm forgetting myself_. I still didn't fully get it. But I had an idea of what this place would do to me. What I needed to be strong for, and it wasn't just monsters. This life of scars and killing, of making and building a family only to watch it crumble and die - that was the real danger.

And I felt so small and helpless that I was on the brink of collapsing. _I will never, ever have children ._I thought. _I will _not _bring an innocent soul into this bloodbath._

And since then, I haven't had any maternal thoughts at all. I never regretted or take back what I swore to myself that day, because even if I had a child with the aim of protecting it, it would still get hurt. There's no way to live without pain. And this, this monstrosity is like ice chips in my heart because these kids, these _soldiers_, are being bred for war. That's all that's left now.

The great race of demi-god's, saviors of Olympus, are being treated like breeding cows. I don't believe for a second that Aphrodite had anything to play in this – why should they care if we're happy? They never tried before. This is about the good of many, protecting the world at the expense of what, fourteen of their children and fourteen of their grandkids? The gods don't care, not about the suffering of little kids.

Luke was wrong about Cronus – but that didn't mean he was wrong about the gods, does it? Luke was a hater of what the gods stood and still stand for, and he was right. It's not enough to just give the minor gods cabins, play nice and think it's over – and even though kids are brought in before their thirteen, it's not enough.

I saw a child die when I was six. Annabeth was mentally and emotionally abused at the age of four upwards. Luke lived with a mad woman. The gods said they'd accept powerful half-bloods but they don't help us when we need them most. And now we are breeding cattle so the gods can sit back and relax and make sure their _moral principles_ aren't hurt.

I'm so angry I feel like screaming. I was going to be a mother for Zeus's sake, and the other campers thought I was better off? I'm not scared of the sex, we did that already, and being 24/7 with Chris, the love of my life, is not a chore. But I'm scared silly about having a kid, two kids in fact. Possibly more, knowing the gods.

I have two options here, and I finally understand what that kid was trying to tell me.

I can have children, do as I'm told and forget who I am and what matters to me. Forget what I stand for. That's what Chris said he loved about me, right? My strength in standing up for what I believe. And that part that he loves would die.

Or, I can burn for eternity for defying the gods, dead but still me.


	6. Chapter 6

Leo's POV:

Why. Why, of all the girls at camp, is had to be her. It could have been anyone, someone who was ugly or stupid or useless but if they were kind – they would have been a million times better. I prefer the chicken over the fox. Beautiful, intelligent, charming and so, so unflinchingly dangerous, part of me wants very much to spend the night with Drew. But not a lifetime.

Oh yes, she's Aphrodite's daughter through and through. Everything from the perfume to the clothes to the smile screamed that she was the child of love. And when I first came here, I hadn't been able to take my eyes off her, or close my unhinged jaw, and I fell instantly for her.

Luckily, I was a newbie with oil grease all over my hands and a weird way of talking, completely out of her sphere. I was ignored – I wasn't even considered an individual pest, when she had so many guys mooning over her. Just one of the bunch, we were no more of an annoyance than fly's were. Mostly, you don't even notice fly's around you, even if their always there. Surprisingly fast, I pulled myself out of my puppy love, helped by Bella, one of Drew's sisters.

Bella was beautiful, charming, graceful, and intelligent. I fell for her, not like I had with Drew, but properly. My days were filled with the taste of her lips, the sound of her laugh and the sight of her smile. I was so sure she loved me back, but she jumped on my heart with high heeled shoes, tore it into little pieces and threw it the wind, not even taking a glance back.

I learned a very hard but simple lesson that day. The Aphrodite girls are heart breakers. Piper, the only one of them I will be within five metres of, says it's in their culture to get guys to love them totally and without reserve, making sure they don't even look at other girls before they break them. It's like a pecking order thing they have, the more you break the higher you climb.

And the more brilliant the girl, the worse they are. Even the amazing Bella can't hold a candle to Drew. So I've always stayed as far from I can from her, and when she took a slight interest in me a few months back, I ran the other way and it was forgotten.

Now I'm marrying the girl. And yes, suicide has seriously crossed my mind at this point, several times in fact. I even got to the point of figuring out a plan and mentally writing my last letter – which would be addressed to Piper and my half-siblings, who are the only ones I care about – before shaking myself from that madness. Or should we say dream? It was certainly a fantasy all right; no way would I have either the courage or the cowardliness to make the jump or pull the trigger. I was raised a survivor. I didn't struggle through so many foster homes, court hearings, nights on the streets and in the sewers to die at my own hand. Not till I was old, very old.

I don't know where it comes from, but I see myself on the porch outside. Old with Drew at my side, her hair silver yet still beautiful, her faced lined yet not flawed as we are surrounded by our grandchildren. Then the image flies away, and I am confronted with the real Drew – hot and desirable physically, but emotionally dead. Sharp, witty, scheming – whoever said the girls of Aphrodite are dumb, thoughtless creatures is a fool and probably a dead one at that.

Drew and the rest of her heart breaker siblings - they don't giggle or laugh or flirt. No, not by a long shot. Nope, they govern. Like hunters after prey, they decide on who they want and then they get them. Whether it's by playing hard to get or flattering or simply acting sweet and normal, they do everything with poise and timed precision. Even if they looked relaxed, they are constantly on top of their game. Some of them even take notes and compare.

Yeah, I get the gossip from Piper. Poor girl has few other people to laugh with, because she's been branded an outcast – as she doesn't get along with Drew, she can't part of the half hated and half respected group of Aphrodite kids. But neither is she friends with any other cabin. She can't get a decent boyfriend because they don't trust her because of her parentage and siblings. She's all alone most of the time. Alright. Maybe I have been watching Piper a bit too much recently, listening out for her at the door of the forges, scanning the room every few minutes for her familiar face.

She is there, in the corner, with Will. He's attempting to talk and they both have a very similar and very determined look in their eyes. She forces out a smile at something he has said and asks him a question – they will be fine. Maybe I can even make things go a little smoother, talk to Will . . . .

But I have more immediate problems to deal with.

"So, fire boy. This turned out quite well for you, didn't it?" Her voice isn't too loud and no-one turns to listen to us but there is something about Drew, and about the way she leans her body back that makes everyone tune in anyway.

"Really? Because I was under the impression I had to marry you. Maybe I should go double check the notice?" In the corner, I see Piper give me a quick warning look before averting her eyes. She knows me well, sees the warning signs that I'm mad before even I do. The cold voice, the overdone sarcasm, and the pointed yet indirect insults – I was furious. Drew had made me furious with a single sentence.

The look on Drew's face never wavers, that sweet and almost polite smile, but I thought I saw a flicker of something behind her eyes. She doesn't hesitate though, saying her reply in a voice that matches mine, but without the ice. She sounds amused, which makes me go even colder – you'd think that when the kid with fire gets angry, his veins would boil. But they don't. They slowly freeze till I'm frozen and at my most deadly.

"No need. After all, why would I talk to you in any other circumstance? You really should have tried a forced marriage when you were a newbie; I might have given you five minutes of my time."

"They would have been five very boring minutes. How about you say something interesting, and then I'll get down on one knee?"

"Oh, but you have to do that part anyway. Why should I entertain you?"

"Why should you be nice for a few minutes? Oh, only because we're living together - for the rest of our lives and, as we're having kids, do you really want to be one of those horrible parents who is never around? You can't be with anyone else, because that would get you zapped, so I'm all you've got. Won't you at least try?" I am pleading by the end, but I don't care. We have everyone's attention, all eyes riveted on us, and there is silence.

Drew just looks at me. For a second her face is closed and calculating. Then she steps so close her perfume makes me dizzy, and I am reminded that past the dead and frozen heart, she is warm and soft. I try not to get her rippling hair in my mouth as she puts her lips to my ear.

"No."


	7. Chapter 7

Not Sure – Percy POV

I was walking back with Thalia to the cabins, taking the long route, when I saw him. We had been going to the cabins to get our armor, deciding that we wanted more of a challenge than dummies. It had been, to put it simply, amazing. Yes, we'd had awkward moments but we just laughed to cover them up, talking about what we wanted to do with our lives. Thalia, who had assumed she would stay with the hunters for all eternity, had no life plans at all. So she made a lot of crazy plans.

My favorite was "I'd like to be a marine biologist. Except, you know, how I can't go in the water without causing a Tsunami." I said I wanted to be a pilot and we just joked around for a bit, though it did make me think. I _need_ to talk to my dad about this whole can't-go-in-water thing. If she was to be my wife, then she was joining the family, and I wanted her to be able to come in the ocean with me.

We never talked about our pasts, only our futures. We said a little about the wedding, but more to laugh about it than to make plans. As I said, we just talked. It was natural to laugh about the wedding, like it was natural to breath – there was no complicated second meaning with her, not like Annabeth. Though I pushed all thought of Annabeth from my mind straight away – today was for getting to know Thalia as a girl, not just a hunter or a cousin.

So when I saw him, I was so surprised I grabbed Thalia's arm and pulled her behind a tree with me – her years of fighting and training kicked in and she didn't shout or even gasp when I grabbed her. We both crouched down and stared at him.

Luke. He was sitting in one of the chairs, talking with Chiron. I wouldn't say he looked relaxed but nobody was stabbing him, or even treating him like an outsider. Anger, thick and ugly rose up and engulfed my mind. I couldn't take it, the idea of him _here_. The one place where we were supposed to be safe from monsters. Images flew through my mind, adding fuel to flame.

Luke sitting next to Annabeth on a park bench, both of them looking relaxed and happy, her eyes dancing with amusement. His arm around her as they slow danced, his lips on hers at their wedding. His hands on her on their wedding night. Him standing behind her, cradling her pregnant stomach. The words _I Do_ falling from her lips again and again . . . .

I don't even know when I got riptide out, but Thalia's reached over and slapped my wrist angrily. Even as I spun to face her, she had disarmed me and was dragging me away. Past the arena, past the border to the woods and only when we got to a sun lit clearing did she stop and release me. Immediately I turned to the nearest tree and hit it as hard as I could. There was a weird sound, like a grunt of pain, but it wasn't from me. No pain came to relive me, no blood covered my knuckles. Was this what they meant by the curse, that no matter how much I wanted to feel pain, I couldn't?

Turning round, I hit a rock. Still nothing. I hit it again and again and again till I was exhausted, weird colours dancing behind my eyes, but it didn't work. Finally I collapsed on the floor, defeated by the thing that had saved me. Putting my head between my knees, I breathed hard and thought little – only the words _I Do_ kept circling round my brain.

Time had lost meaning, the curse making everything go tilted. I didn't know how long I'd punched the rock for, whether it was seconds or hours, but the air felt cooler and the sky was darker. Some distant part of me that was still sort-of reasonable said I had been throwing punches for over an hour, but I was in too much pain to listen.

In the Styx, I'd seen Annabeth. I'd held onto her and everything she meant to me – and now, I was losing her. And it felt like all over my skin, small needles were attacking, trying to fight their way out – chocking, dizzying pain. Time lost itself again, till a small pressure on my arm soothed me.

She reached out and held onto me, and somehow that made the pain fade. Not go away entirely, not leave, but where her hand was, the needles stopped. Suddenly, it wasn't enough, because she took the pain away, and I needed her. I needed her, not Annabeth. I didn't know and didn't wonder whether I loved her – all I knew was that she was at the center of my survival.

I slid my right hand around her neck, behind her beautiful hair. Free of Annabeth, I could appreciate how beautiful she was, her piercing eyes locked on mine. It was a strange sensation I'd never had before, the inside turmoil of pain and confusion but a glimmer of emerging hope, and the outside expression, just staring into her eyes without breathing. The realization that she was that hope.

I rolled her over so we were both on our sides and wrapped my left arm around her waist – leaving enough space so that she was close to me but she could still push me off. I was sane enough to do that for her. My right hand gently caressed her cheek, and when she didn't say anything, I kissed her.

Her lips were soft against mine, and she smelled like, well, pine trees. Like the woods at daybreak, it was similar to a light being shone in my mind. Like I had been in some kind of dark room and then the shutters were taken off, and all of sudden there was sunlight and warmth. It was crazy, and as her hands threaded in my hair, asking me to come closer, I obliged. I slid my tongue against her lips and she opened them, and I pushed her over on to the forest floor, trailing my right hand up and down her neck. The tips of her fingers were doing circles on the back of my neck, and it was fine by me.

In fact, it was a lot more than fine. It was brilliant. It was incredible. It was amazing; it felt like everywhere she touched was my mortal spot, sending thrills and jolts down my body. I kissed her harder, loving everything about her. Her lips, her scent, her taste, she was better than . . . .

She was better than Annabeth. _Annabeth_.

I shot backwards, pulling my hands from her hair. I don't know when our legs became so hopelessly entangled but I just shoved against the ground, wrenching myself away from her, from anything to do with her. I was on my feet and turned away from her, pacing quickly backwards and forwards.

Cheater. Unfaithful. What had I done?

Thalia POV

I didn't understand at first, when he wrenched himself away from me. But then, I hadn't understood much – one moment, he is in a ball, looking small and vulnerable and alone. The rock he had been punching actually looked smaller than before. And then a few seconds later, he was everywhere and everything.

From the moment he collapsed to the moment he pulled away, I never made a decision – I just did what I had to do. It wasn't even a choice, whether I should reach out to him or not, whether I should let him kiss me, whether I should pull him closer and let him roll me over, never letting up on lips, except from quick gasps.

Everything seemed to become very simple to me. I stopped asking myself what my emotions were and what they meant exactly, what was best for our long-term relationship. I'd been sub-consciously analyzing everything, and though I felt surprise, I didn't think of it. I didn't acknowledge any emotion, I just was, hearing and seeing and feeling nothing but Percy. Oh, and tasting him too. I'd never realized that the ocean could taste or smell so good, all salty and soft. Even his smell was a caress on my senses.

So when he slipped from my grasp like water spilling out of ones hands, I didn't think of motives. I only felt sensations. Cold without his warm body pressed against mine. Empty and alone without his lips on mine. Shame that I have been left, that something went wrong. The rough earth under my hands when they hit the earth, no longer tangled in his hair. Fear when I look up to see him pacing, everything about him tense in agitation. Annoyance when he refuses to look at me. And finally anger when I realized that he was thinking, not of us as he should be, but of Annabeth. She might be my best friend and I do love her like a sister, but I can't ignore the flashes of jealous and anger that pulsed through me at the thought of her.

Rational thought returns, and with it, sadness. Sadness that I'm jealous of my best friend because the guy I _have_ to marry loves her instead, and their really shouldn't be an instead – I shouldn't want him to love me. Sadness that, whatever else Percy is, he is a really great friend and my cousin, and now he's in pain. Sadness that I am in pain, and I can't even work out why. I flash back to when Artemis was talking about knowing your enemy, and I introduced the hunters to Green Day. Sadness that I am so alone now when I thought I'd be with my sisters forever.

"I think we should . . . ." Percy starts, but doesn't finish. What should we do? In any other situation, the answer would be obvious. We should go our separate ways and not see each other for a few months. Clear our heads.

But we can't do that, can we? Because at the end of the day, we're getting married. And we're going to do it then as well – so we can't run from it. We have to face it.

Percy sighs, and slowly, warily sits next to me. I never agreed with Annabeth when she said he was slow or easy to work out. He thinks a lot, Percy. More than I do, that's for certain. But he's not like Annabeth – it's like he thinks about something as hard as he can to come to an honest, simple answer, often just 'yes' or 'I'll try'. With Annabeth, everything she says has a complex double meaning, everything is a game of wits that doesn't suit Percy. For the first time, I realize I don't like them as a couple. But of course, love's not like that, is it? She has to make us suffer, because that's what heroes do. Suffer in love.

I stare at the ground but listen to Percy. His slow breathing, his fingers trailing meaningless patterns in the dirt, his voice splitting the silence.

"There's something I need to ask you . . . ."


	8. Chapter 8

The Plan – Part One

Annabeth POV:

Sure, camp was dangerous and upsetting and sometimes chaotic. It could be hard to live with all the fighting and the pressure, but there was stability here, a way of life. We had rituals and we stuck to them no matter what.

For instance, dinner here was always taken together, always at only the very ill not going. So when the gong was sounded for dinner, I didn't think twice about leaving my sanctuary and assembling my cabin. I would never have forgiven myself if I'd failed at this. All of camp turned up, many looking depressed and confused, but we turned up all the same. Unlike at breakfast, we all sat at our own tables. I made an effort to small talk with my own cabin, but Malcolm saved me the embarrassment and took over.

I was allowed to stare about in peace, taking in the sight. Of course Percy and Thalia were at different tables but from the way they glanced at each other, frequently and embarrassed, something had happened. Feeling slightly sick, I managed to swallow whatever I had just put in my mouth and looked on. Nico, of course, showed nothing, eating his food calmly and without once looking at anybody. Nyssa was less controlled – she also ate her food methodically, but she looked sort of bitter, talking only to Leo.

Leo himself looked furious, in the way only he does. The fire kid looked cold and calculating, naturally treating this as a problem that needed to be solved, fiddling with a piece of wire as if he was about to start building something. At the Aphrodite table, nothing had changed – most of them gossiped, Drew was center of attention and a few sat at the edge of the benches and talked quietly but were focused, as though they were debating something important. Piper was one of them. In fact, it was amazing how much nothing had changed - and yet everything was different.

I didn't want to look, but I dragged my eyes over to the Hermes cabin. They weren't nearly as over-flowed now, and normally they looked very happy and normal, just a group of mischievous kids having lunch at Summer Camp. But today, they looked stiff and awkward. Luke was eating quietly, but no-body took their eyes of him, though they weren't talking.

I was surprised his return hadn't made much of a stir, but with everything going on, no-one seemed in the mood for an uproar. I had a bad feeling that once the shock dissolved, they would be a lot more aggressive towards him, and that once it started, they couldn't be restrained. At the moment we were blaming the gods, but once we realized that raging at your parents did nothing but make the fruit sour and the skies darken, we would turn to blaming someone whose blood could be spilt.

I didn't want that. Or at least, I thought I didn't.

I finished in a hurry, wanting to leave and maybe go to the woods, but Chiron motioned for me to sit down. Surprised, I slowly lowered myself back down and Chiron stood up.

"Campers, your attention please." Immediately, all talking ceased. "Could all those who were listed this morning stay behind, and everyone else is to leave." My eyes widened in surprise as nearly everyone pretty much ran for the door, as though we were contagious.

Finally we were left alone. I turned towards Luke, but he stared fixatedly ahead, refusing to look at me. It was the same everywhere, only Piper and Will seemed able to look any one in the eye. I felt a shiver run down my spine – was this how it was going to be? A lifetime of not even glancing at our spouses, putting our pride before our own happiness? Even Chris and Clarisse seemed to have argued.

Chiron stood among us, his eyes were almost remorseful. Seven tables filled with fourteen engaged demi-gods, he walked slowly amongst the tables. He spoke his first words softly, "First.. I would just like to say how sorry I am..." he paused for a few moments to stroke his beard deep in thought. "In all my years the Gods have done cruel things, but this one tops them all. Hopefully, all of you will grow to love your betrothed in time. However naïve that may sound, it is the best hope you have right now. The Gods have assured me that if they see any of you doing anything illicit they will kill you. With no regret or warning they will send you directly to Hades." He held his hands behind his back in a regal manner. Occasionally bringing them around front to wring them, he was clearly nervous. "Each of you are to be wed to your assigned partner. How long you wait is up to you, but be warned the longer you wait the younger your child will be. Things won't go over so well if we have infants leading the fight. So, for lack of a better term, you'd best get to it. For the good of your children, the sooner you get married the better." We all sat at each table stoically. Some of us were scared, others were angry, a few were elated. Very few were elated. Fourteen pairs of eyes were boring directly into Chiron's skull, waiting for what he would say next. "From now on, each couple shall be living together, so you can learn to function with each other." A chorus of angry shouts echoed from each table, all of them for different reasons. "People please! I'm just relaying what they've told me." That did nothing to quell the storm, this made him mad. "Enough! There is no further news at this time. All of you are dismissed. Annabeth, come here please." My head shot up at the sound of my name, and I found myself wondering what I had done. The others began to file out in separate directions, some I suppose were discussing living arrangements. I stood from my table and left Luke there for the time being as well, I was more than willing to use any and all excuses needed. Chiron didn't say anything, he simply held out a white envelope and waited for me to take it.

_Annabeth,_

_I know you're mad at me. I'm sure you've figured out that I voted for the marriage law to be passed. I also knew that you would not be compatible with Percy – but whatever has been said in the past, I want to put it behind us. If it helps at all, I dislike Luke even more, bringing him back is dangerous and unnecessary, but I wish you the best of luck._

_And don't worry about funds – I will pay for whatever you need when it comes to the wedding, it's the least that I can do._

_Believe it or not, I love you._

_Athena_

Closing the letter, I folded it up and put it away, my hands shaking. Looking up, I met Luke's gaze, and was surprised by the sympathy there.

"I thought, well, I thought that my mum would have voted against the marriage thing. But she wanted us, me and Percy, to-" I choke up. I can't believe I've been betrayed by her – my own mother has cast aside my feelings and forgotten all that Percy had done to save me. Her every word oozed judgment. It's as though she's blaming me for being compatible with Luke, something that makes me see red I'm so upset with her.

"Hey, it's ok-"

"No, it's not. Come here, sit with me." I cut him off, patting the space on the bench beside me. I'm running on a weird and dangerous high – I no longer care what my mother thinks. I no longer care about anyone, and I will do that I think best and dam the consequences.

Luke looks surprised but gets up, awkwardly coming round to sit next to me. He puts his arm around me and I lean into his chest. He is muscular and tall, wrapping around me comfortably and dominating the space without being intrusive. I can't see his face but he hesitantly rests his chin on my hair, breathing in the smell and unconsciously hugging me harder to his chest, something that doesn't bother me at all.

I don't know where I'm going with Luke. But I'm fed up with going nowhere, I need to move on. I don't know what I'm trying to prove to my mum, but I'm doing something. That, and the warmth of Luke beside me, makes everything just disappear.

Luke's POV:

We decided to try and do something productive, so we looked through a magazine or two Chiron had left behind.

If you've never held the girl you love in your arms as you organize your wedding, do it. It's the most amazing feeling in the world.

"So, any ideas? Preferences?" She is smiling, scanning the list with that determined look she gets when she's working on one of her architecture projects. I don't know how much is faked, but I know it's an improvement on the running away from me thing of earlier. I was going to apologize, but as all has been forgiven . . . .

"I really don't mind. Whatever you want." As long as I'm with her, I'm not fussed. But she frowns.

"Oh come on, you've got to have some ideas. Indoors? Outdoors? Favorite color?"

"My favorite color?" I stall for a second, unsure of what to say. Images rise up of darkness and death and destruction, and I can't separate the things I love from the things Cronus loved, or had a morbid liking of anyway. Purple seems a nice color, but I don't know if that's because it's pretty or because it's the color dead bodies go. "I like yellow, beige, things like that. Light colors. Like your hair." I grin and play with one of her curls. She's so close to me, she's almost in my lap now.

"Oh, shut up." She says half heartedly, blushing. "Ok, indoors. How about a church, not one with stained glass windows but somewhere small and nice?"

"Like a village church? I know one. I went there ages ago, before I met you, it would be perfect." My eyes widen when I realize what I've said. I never told anyone about that place, even though I only went there for food . . . . It was too precious. I'd found hope there.

"Yeah, that sounds good." She sounds uncertain, but she ploughs on anyway. "I'd want my dad to be there. We're going to have to tell him about us, though I want to keep the marriage law a secret. So if he punches you, duck, ok?"

"Oh, so there's an 'us' now, is there?" Me and my big mouth. She elbows me playfully though, and I risk it – leaning down to kiss her hair once. It smells nice, like strawberries. She tenses and I immediately think I've gone too far, even though I just brushed my lips against her, but she is fine, tilting her head back slightly.

"You know what, don't duck. I think you deserve a punch." And I kiss her hair again so she knows I love her.


	9. Chapter 9

The Plan – Part Two

Nyssa POV:

"So, before we totally mess up, let's make it clear that I hate white. And dresses. And bows. Oh and fruit cake. Can't stand fruit cake." I take a bite of my apple, chewing thoughtfully. I hadn't seen it coming, that we would have to plan an actual _wedding_. If you told me to plan a ton and a half flying chariot with machine guns and crossbow attachments that could fold down into a one kilo back pack, I'd have no problem. But a wedding, with invitations and formalities and traditions.. Yeah let's just say I'm better with machines.I wasn't good with social events. I've never been to a wedding, or even a formal party, so I was pretty much screwed in every way. I took another bite of the apple, surprisingly relaxed. After all, it was just a ceremony, and I would hate it whether it was done in a cellar or on the moon. Why bother worrying about it? Chiron had more or less informed us in the dining pavilion that we would be planning our own deal. Something of our own in this whole god awful mess. Oh, and I had to live with the prince of darkness. Yipee. So here we were strolling through the grounds, coming up on the dining pavilion.

"Agreed. So, how about a theme? Maybe we could get married in a grave yard, see how many odd looks we can get." Nico also has an apple – he was the one who thought to bring them along, and despite how much we hate each other, we are getting along. It's an unspoken agreement – we will save our anger and our frustration for later. We will, at some point, shout the house down. Just not now.

"Possibly. Out of interest, do you have any mortals you want to invite?"

"Nope, my families dead. Yours?"

"I'm not in contact with them." Nico's eyebrow lifts, but I ignore him. "And anyway, the less witness's the better. Maybe we could have a dead of night theme?"

"Hmm, I like it." He chews for a while, running his finger down the list of things we need, whilst I flick through the magazine that had mysteriously appeared on my bed. Frustration flooded my every vein and I fought the urge to throw it in the mud, deciding instead to shove it into the kangaroo pocket of my hoodie.

"Go on then. Who are you inviting to witness our humiliation?" Why cover up my feelings? He was stuck with me forever either way.

"Well, we should probably invite Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, Luke – and my dad, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Who wouldn't want the King of the Underworld to attend their wedding? No, he should come. Or at least we should invite him. Do you think he'll turn up?"

"Not really, but I'd like him too. What about you?"

"Yeah, because _my _dad's going to walk me down the aisle. But yeah, we'll invite him. And I guess we need to include some of my siblings – Leo, Jared, and Fiona would be my first choice. Piper's nice, though I don't know how the Leo, Piper, Will and Drew love square is going to work out."

"A love square? What's this? I sense a potentially useful scandal." He pulls a funny face and I snort. Ok, not so much of a monster after all.

"Yeah, the gods totally fucked up there. Leo has a thing for Piper, Drew has a thing for Will, Will has a thing for Piper, Piper has a thing for Leo and Drew has a major problem with Piper as a result. Oh, and of course this whole mooning over each other business is done in total secrecy, everyone but Drew seems to think their crush will _never_ see them that way."

"Wow. Where do you get this information? Tell me more." He looks positively awed and I snicker. I know I shouldn't laugh at them but they were just so typical – none of them ever dared to flirt or give any sign that they liked the other person, they were so certain they would be rejected.

A blush rises on my cheeks as I realize he still wants an answer. Doubting that I could lie effectively to him, I decide to tell the truth, or try to.

"Well, I handle all the business, or trading side of things for my cabin. Most cabins have someone who does that – Miranda for Demeter, Malcolm for Athena, Chris for Hermes. Anyone with something to export does, and as Cabin 9 is one of those, I look after it. I trade in secrets too though, if it's important enough."

"Important? What do you mean?"

"By important, I mean all romance seems to go through me. I don't have a clue why, but people just seem determined to tell me the gossip. Especially the guys, actually, though I really don't know why I have the job, I never asked for it."

Nico just snorted and tossed his apple core in the bin. "Haha. Like we don't both know why they use you. Do you want flowers for the wedding? I could get them in any color or type you want, Persephone owes me."

"I wouldn't mind a few. Black and red rose's maybe, but I'm not the innocent daisy kind of girl. Certainly don't want a bouquet, and why do they use me for business?"

"Consider it done. They use you because your pretty, charming, and likable in an odd sort of way, plus your trustworthy. What are you doing when it comes to dresses, or am I not allowed to know?"

I freeze. Did he just call me pretty? Where on earth did that come from? I feel a bit of a blush creep onto my cheeks and I do all I can to suppress it, deciding to ignore the comment.

"I'll figure the dress out later. Let's concentrate on setting a date, though the idea of Clarisse in a white dress is amusing . . . ." We were just walking into the dining pavilion when an interesting sight caught my eye.

"Am I seeing things, or is Annabeth in Luke's _lap_?"

"Nope, they are indeed cuddling. Of course, Percy and Thalia were making out in the woods earlier, so it's hardly a mass betrayal on Annabeth's part, but it is surprising."

"Making out in the _woods_?" My voice rises almost to a squeal and a tremor runs down my back.

"Monster sources."

"Ah. Can you hear what they're saying from here? He seems to be kissing her hair." I feel like I'm about to faint. I can't believe Annabeth of all people is doing this, blindly flaunting her new relationship with Luke. It made me sick, the way she's all cozy with the ex-enemy.

"I can read their lips, or at least vaguely understand their conversation. Their setting a wedding date, he says whenever and she seems aloof about it. She's suggesting a month or so. Luke is surprised but happy and they agree and now I can't see Luke's lips because they're glued to her neck, and now I feel sick." He gives me a grossed out, rattled look. It's not immature; he's not grossed out by kissing – whether that was good or bad for me I didn't know.. I decided to ignore it for now. Either way, he'd have to fuck me at some point.

We turn away again, and put our heads down. For a while we chat about this and that, just getting to know each other, and trying to tune out the happy couple. As we walk away silently we are both praying that Percy doesn't stumble upon the sight of her quiet laugh or his soft sigh or the sound of hands rustling over fabric.

It's getting late when we finally return to wedding conversation.

"When do you want the wedding? Right at the end of the month?" Nico asks.

"Eager aren't we? No I think we need to get to know each other more first. And anyway, everyone is going to want their wedding then, so we may as well avoid that. I think few months. December would be good." No way was I telling him I was on my period. I might trust some parts of him, like how I could say I was dreading the wedding without him even blinking, but this was girl stuff. I had hoped not to need to talk about it for several years at least.

"December it is then."


	10. Chapter 10

The Plan – Part Three

Percy POV:

"Percy." Her lip is curled in disgust, because of course, I am repulsive to her. What kind of guy kisses a girl on a forest floor then asks them to have a fake marriage with them? Ok, maybe I hadn't asked for it outright, but she'd got the picture. She wasn't stupid; she understood that I was too hung up on Annabeth to be faithful to her.

And you wonder why she 'turned her back on the company of men'.

_Flashback:_

_I sigh, and slowly, warily sit next to her. Her spiky black hair is messy around her face, hiding her skull earrings. Her electric blue eyes are fixed on mine, and I am more scared of her reaction than I was of Kampe._

"_There's something I need to ask you . . . . It's about Annabeth." I pause to gauge her reaction, but her face is blank. She nods for me to go on. "I can't get her out of my head. I need to end things with her, but I don't know how, and I need time to think.. Please, I just need more time."_

_She is silent, and though her face says nothing, I know her well enough to see she is hurt. I'm uncomfortable, shifting around and playing with leaves on the ground._

"_You want to keep things on with Annabeth?" I don't miss the disgust that ripples across her face, but I say nothing. I feel bad, awful even, but the idea of breaking things with Annabeth is too much to bear. She sighs and when she speaks, there is nothing in her voice. She sounds empty, not broken but sort of hopeless in a really terrible way._

"_Ok. Keep her. I understand."_

"_You do?"_

"_Of course. I am a girl, after all." Her voice is clipped, her head held high. You can't push Thalia down, she's too strong, and I feel a flash of pride for her. "But I have two conditions – first, we tell Luke. We're not hiding this from him. Second, your god dammit careful about it. We will all burn if you're careless, so in public, you are head over heels in love with me and the same goes for Annabeth – you have to convince everyone. And you can't do it with her. If she gets pregnant with your kid then we are so screwed."_

_I am shocked by practical she is about it. I hadn't thought about how we couldn't do it. I glance up to see she has gotten up and is brushing herself down._

"_I'm sorry, you know that? I didn't want it to be like this."_

"_Don't worry about it Percy. I'm an ex-huntress, remember? I'm used to men being assholes." She kicks me lightly, her playful smile not quite meeting her eyes. "And anyway, your my friend, I want you to be happy."_

_I watch her leave, her shoulders tense as she walks. Suddenly, she whips round and faces me._

"_I have another condition. You have one month to decide whether you love Annabeth or me. We could be in love with each other Percy, you know we can. But I want you to pick, before we say our vows. If you pick Annabeth, then we'll live together and raise kids, and pretend we're in love, but I will never let myself love someone who doesn't love me and only me back. If you pick me, then I'll try and love you, and I think I will. We can be happy together. But you never do anything romantic with Annabeth again."_

_I don't know what to say, but I open my mouth, hoping that something will come out. Her terms are fair, but I don't have a fucking clue how to answer her._

_Nothing comes out and she just gives me a sad, almost wistful smile – and disappears into the woods._

_Flashback Ends_

Yeah, I had completely and officially fucked that up. But I didn't regret it – being with Annabeth, it was everything to me. I needed her, needed to see her smile and know that I put it there, needed her arms around my neck and her head against my chest.

We'd never done it. I wanted too, every seventeen year old guy with a steady girlfriend _wants _to. But most seventeen year old guys, they haven't saved the world every year since they turned twelve, or had said girl with them through thick and thin. They haven't almost lost that girl in nearly every way possible – kidnapped by a Manticore, held prisoner by Luke, the hunters of Artemis, a fight to the death with Cronus. They haven't got into hundreds of fights with their girlfriend - old ladies on buses, mutated seals in a volcano, flying female pigs. All those fun things we've done together kind of changed my perspective on life, and so while I _wanted_ to, I was patient.

I thought we'd be together for the rest of our lives. We'd got close a few times, so close I actually thought we were going to, but we'd always stopped. It was a mutual feeling, that when you had the rest of your lives you didn't need to rush things.

Now I felt an overwhelming urgency to do this with her, just once before we were married. It wasn't against the rules till we were married, and the contraceptive ban ceremony wasn't made it till the wedding. I blush, suddenly thinking of Thalia naked, and amazed that I hadn't thought of it before. I wonder if she's good in bed, and then delete the image.

Maybe though, just maybe we could. I could convince Thalia, I'd already proved that and Annabeth nearly always ran in sync with me any way – if not a few hours ahead. Come to think of it, she's probably already thought this through and came to the same conclusion I have, just a hell of a lot faster.

"Earth to Percy? Time to remove that self-satisfied smirk from your face? Ugh, you're a dreadful actor, you know." More blushing. My head whips round to face her. She's staring a hole in my head. We'd walked around aimlessly for a few minutes before walking back to the dining pavilion to find Annabeth and Luke. Just them.

"What d'ya mean?"

"Seriously Percy? Get with the program. It's the least you can do to stop staring at Annabeth's ass like you want to eat her." So, looks like we had good old Thalia from the questing days back. Not very nice but she got the job done, a bit like bleach.

"My apologies. And actually, I'm more worried about her being eaten by Luke. He looks like he wants to fuck her right here." Where did that come from? No idea. It was true though, she had been reading a letter whilst he had been just watching her in a way that made me want to strangle him. More than I normally did. I hadn't looked at him since, in case I lost it. Again.

"Hmm well, obviously the wedding is coming up, have fun telling your parents I bet they'll just _love_ this forced marriage thing, and if you're scared that Annabeth is getting pushed into something she doesn't want, stop worrying. She looks fine to me." I swing round to look at her, and I almost gag she is so close to him, nearly sitting in his lap. She pushes against his chest with the back of her head, practically begging for him to kiss her. He runs his lips over her hair, but that is not what she wanted. Turning round, she kisses his jaw once. Just long enough to make him tense up but before he can do anything she is gone, leaning back into his chest.

He doesn't know it, but Annabeth loves to tease. We've spent countless days with her constantly dodging out of my reach, kissing my neck, my cheek, my jaw, my collarbone, the edge of my lips but never actually kissing me – not till the evening, when I pin her against a wall and we kiss till we are both panting. Those are good days, brilliant days, and I feel sick that she's doing the same thing to Luke. Everything about the two of them together makes me sick.

But then again, just a few minutes ago I was thinking she was smarter than me, that she came to conclusions faster. Maybe she and Luke have already decided to pretend to be in love, so we could be together.

I turn round, but Thalia is not quick enough for me. She can't quite hide the pained look from her face in time. I looked at her with a quizzical look, I had no idea how to react to that. She looked so confused in that moment. She was weak. She was vulnerable. She looked like she cared. It was a moment that was only there for a few moments. But then it was gone, and the hard shell was back.

"So, who'd you want as your bridesmaids? You said the hunters are coming, maybe one of them?"

She sighs, rolling her shoulders back. She knows what I'm really asking.

"I want Annabeth as my maid of honor. I don't know about bridesmaids – I'll have to ask if Michelle will do it, she probably will, she's lovely. And Piper, we've only met a few times but probably her."

"Alright then. I'm going to take a wild guess that you have no idea when it comes to wedding plans?"

"Nope."

"Same here. Crap. I guess we should probably have a largish wedding. Do you mind?"

"Not at all. If we're going to do this, we may as well jump in head first."

"Yeah, that reminds me. There is something I wanna give you in the morning, and since we have to live together, I'll be waking up early."

"Okay.. What for?"

"Secret." Haha, she was going to hate this. But I knew she wanted it in the long term.

"Ugh, fine. Alright, I know this is a bit weird, but I wouldn't feel comfortable getting married in a church. No way, not whilst being watched by what, seventy people who contradict the rules of Christianity? It would feel offensive. So, how about we get married somewhere outside?"

"Outside? What like the woods? That's a great idea." It's perfect. We grin at each other madly, pleased we've thought out such a good plan. Suddenly her smile falters, and she frowns.

"Wait, how are we to pay for all this?"

"Oh, I talked to Chiron. Apparently our godly parents are all going to pay for our wedding, as long as they approve of the plans, and we all get to design ourselves cabins at camp. Basically, their trying to make sure we stay in camp instead of wandering away."

"I don't want to."

"Neither do I. But we have to for now. What do you actually want to do when you're older?" I wasn't joking this time, I was serious. She sighs.

"I'm not sure. I've never had a life outside of fighting monsters, but that's not what I want to do forever – I don't want to stay here and be a pawn of my father. I want a job, but I have no education. I don't know."

"Well, neither do I. But I've been thinking I'd like to teach PE in high school." There, I said it. She gave me a searching look and then nodded. It made sense – a reasonably well paid job that I would be good at, and I could keep an eye out for half-bloods and protect them too. The only problem was college and teacher training, but we would find a way.

"I'll think about it. I don't know yet. But I should probably go back to school, Artemis taught me quite bit, so I should be able to graduate at least, and then I'll be pregnant. Yippee. At least they can't turn our kids into killing machines when their infants and then we can find a way to limit their time here."

It was the hard truth, but as I looked into Thalia's eyes, we came to an agreement. It didn't matter how but we would protect our children with our own lives. We wouldn't be the kind of parents to them that our parents were to us – even though we loved our fathers, no-body could ignore what they wanted to do to our children.

Images flashed through my mind, strengthening my resolve. Thalia holding a tiny bundle in her arms, trying to shield it from monsters. A little boy with my hair and Thalia's eyes, no more than four years old, holding a dagger in his childish fist. An eight year old girl who was the splitting image of Thalia lying lifeless on the ground.

I wasn't going to let that happen. My kids weren't going to die for the god's cause.

"Yes, we should do that." I paused, trying to block out a giggle from Annabeth's table. And this was just the first day. "Why don't you go through the catalogue and try to find the least repulsive invitations, and I'll make a list of people who I want to come?"

"Sounds terrible. Let's get going."

Thalia POV:

We cover everything we can through the magazine, but it's a paper cut out of this morning. Sure, we still make jokes and laugh around, but it's more forced. I know it's me that's making it like that, holding the make-your-life-miserable-forever threat over his head, but I wanted to know the truth before we have sex. Or get married. But mostly it's about the sex.

Somewhere along the lines of swearing to never going near a boy ever again makes doing it somewhat touchy for me.

But all evening, I put that out of my mind and just did wedding stuff. It was exhausting, trying to juggle worrying about everything, arranging a wedding and acting like I was borderline in love with Percy. Which I'm not. I like him; he's a really good friend. But I can't fall in love after a day, no-one can.

But with time, I could. I could love him, if I thought he could love me back.

I didn't think of it though. There were invitations, guest lists, venues, caterers and florists. Chiron had made us all a list of things to think of, and we were to write down their address so we could go shop for them. What's the betting that we would be chased by monsters through the dress shop? By the time Chiron stood up and announced we should go to bed, I was ready to drop. Or scream.

And, oh joy, I was now staying in cabin two. Poseidon's cabin, with Percy, my fiance by order of the gods. This should be fun.

I could feel Annabeth's eyes on me so I smiled at Percy, holding out my hand. He took it and we walked hand in hand through the dark to the cabins, too tired to talk. We swung our hands to keep them warm, and when we reached our cabin, I kissed his cheek. And we went in.

I looked around the cabin, and noted that thankfully there were bunk beds. I sighed in relief and tossed my duffel bag on the top bunk. "Dibs." He shrugged and then I remembered that it was just me and him. And all his stuff was already arranged on the bottom bunk. This was going to be a long engagement.

I muttered under my breath and kicked Percy out so I could get changed. So my first night living with my future husband, and I was making him wait outside while I changed. So as soon as I was in my sleeping clothes, I realized that forcing him outside was pointless. I sleep in a sports bra and boy shorts. "Too late now.." I sighed and went to the door to let him in. He looked pissed for a second, but then he saw what I was wearing.. "Uh.. aren't you gonna get changed?" His face turned four shades of red and I laughed. "No this is what I sleep in." I stepped back and jumped up onto my bed. I don't know how long he stood there, but it was more than two minutes. Sucker.


	11. Chapter 11

Maybe

It went terribly. How do you look someone you hate in the eye, and discuss your wedding plans? Especially when their being crazy, wanting everything you don't want, and not giving a damn about what you feel? I was so mad, I could feel my skin itching, demanding that I burst into flames. I got through that evening by going through list after list in my head – different tools, different metals, there qualities and uses and who knows what else. Her voice grated on my brain and I fought her for everything, because I sure as hell wasn't going to wear hot pink roses without a fight. We had totally nixed trying to live together. I'd smother her in her sleep anyway so it was for the best.

When we finally got back to the cabin, I just collapsed on my bed and pressed a few buttons. It automatically began lowering me down to one of the basement floors that had been designed years ago, a non-formal conference room of sorts. It was a round table, like in a dinning room, except as you went down your bed converted to a plush arm chair. I went here because it was both a good place to think and barely anyone had the right to come here – only Nyssa, Jake and I had the button that took you here.

It was perfect for someone who wanted to think through a major problem, like being forced to marry someone you didn't trust. So of course Nazzy was here too.

"Raiding the fridge are we?" Damn, I'd been planning to do that. She jumped so high, her hair spinning round her face when she spun round in shock that it made up for it – she really looked like a child sneaking food, a box of crackers and a fruit juice cradled in her arms.

"Shut up. What are you doing here?" She slumped back onto her chair and began tearing at the box with her nails. Incredible, wasn't it, how you could be fully able to build a rocket or take down a hydra, but that damn box always took five hours to open.

"Same thing as you, I suspect. Wallowing in self-pity and denial, though Nico can't be half as bad as Drew. He hasn't tried anything, has he?" Just being the responsible, reliable big brother here. I grabbed a can of coke and a bag of chips and relaxed into my chair. Even when being forced to marry a hag in heels, the comfort of a soft armchair complete with fluffy, totally manly, blankets should never be underestimated.

She snorts and takes a swig of juice. I never would understand why she ate so healthy, but she said it was just default for her. She shoots my junk food a dirty look, because apparently it makes her feel sick. I just roll my eyes at her and lift one of my eyebrows, still waiting for an answer.

"Fine, if you want the details of your sister's married life. He's tried nothing, absolutely nothing, and the chances are he never will. Or at least I hope not. But I don't, all at the same time. He's funny and charismatic, in his own crazy way, and I like him. But of course I don't like him, or maybe I do, but not enough to marry him." A bit more emotional than I'd wanted, but somehow, it didn't bother me. I looked into her eyes and knew we had somehow come to an understanding. We were in the same boat. We were siblings, and we needed someone to lean on, someone who got it – we could lean on each other.

"You know, I don't think Nico is that bad a guy. I know you've never been fond of him, but Percy likes him, and I think we can trust him. I'm not saying I'm glad you're being forced to marry him –"

"But it's better than the male equivalent of Drew? You're right, I guess. But I can't help thinking that if it wasn't for how we're 'compatible' I wouldn't be in this mess. Anyway, how'd it go with you, I saw you looking like you wanted to smoke your girl?"

Your girl? Nice choice of words, Nazzy.

"Don't even ask about it. Whatever your idea of terrible, disastrous and I'm glad I'm not that couple is - that is what we were. I hope never to get out of my bed again." She snorts, and drains the rest of her juice. Something in my face must have told her not to say anything, because she nodded once and pressed a button, allowing her bed to take her back up to the ground level. I wonder idly how much sleep she will get tonight.

I swig on my coke, not rushing it. I didn't want to go up and face the loud silence, where Nyssa and I would lie awake, pretending to sleep, surrounded by eighteen of our siblings who couldn't possibly understand what this is like. There was a line drawn in the sand now, the differences between us and them, and I suddenly realized I'd need to pick a new Head Counselor – this law was taking everything from me.

Sighing, I crumpled the coke can and lobbed it into the bin, along with my chips – they both missed, but that didn't matter, because a metal claw shot out and plucked them from the air, chucked them in the bin and incinerated them. Sometimes, I was just too cool. Jabbing a button, I perched on my bed as it unfolded. I almost reached for my design pad to sketch a better mechanism, because this was seriously uncomfortable, but pulled my hand back. Now wasn't the time.

I couldn't really tell you how I got to the beach. My head was full of contraptions, designs, tools. Things seemed to build themselves in my mind, everything from a 120ft boat, which could transport the entire camp but fold down into a simple, drivable van, to an electric pencil sharpener that could incinerate ashes. I liked incinerating things. I was walking around, my coat tugged up around my neck for warm when I heard voices – flirtatious laughter – coming from a hidden dip in the sand.

I should have turned round right then. Left, walked away, went back to Nazzy and my warm bed. But I had a sneaky suspicion on what kind of girl would have a midnight picnic on a beach, and I had to know that sort of thing. Slowly, I inched forward, walking round so I could see without being seen.

Drew. Of course it was Drew. She looked beautiful, her dark hair sweeping across her face as she pouted. She was holding the hand of some guy I didn't recognize, kissing his fingertips. A slow smile was spreading across her face, her pink lips curving up, and the guy – personally, I was amazed he was still conscious. Another five minutes and he'd probably wouldn't be breathing, but that was his problem. He chose Drew and there was no way I was going to interrupt.

Because if I interrupted, that was pretty much me saying I cared. That I was laying claim to her, that I wanted her with me or at least that I was admitting we were getting married. And there was no way I was doing that. Nope – I was so staying out of this fight.

But . . . . I'd been that guy. With Bella, lazing around on a beach, trailing my hands through her hair, so damn happy about it all – how could I just stand here and watch some dumb, helpless baboon get his heart trampled on? It had been me once. And I knew how I felt when I looked back on it, all those people who had just walked past and let Bella play with me like a toy.

"Oy. You really don't want to do that, you know." Ok, not my most subtle line. They both jumped and whirled round to face me. My hands clenched into fists and I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. In the name of Zeus and all things holy I did _not_ want to do this. I strode out towards them, watching the shock and then anger and maybe even shame dance in Drew's eyes. The boy seemed stuck on bewildered surprise, as though he was just waking from a dream and didn't know where he was.

"Scram, whoever you are. You don't want to get involved with this girl. She'll rip you into shreds." The boy gave me a single, terrified look before hastily pulling his hand from Drew's and scuffling up. I spent most of my time crouched over a workbench or joking with my siblings and friends – I didn't try to be intimidating much, but when I did, I knew I could be downright scary. I wasn't incredibly tall, 5ft 9 inches, but I stood on higher ground. Oh, and small flames danced in my clenched fists, and flickering across my torso, giving me the whole tough-guy-about-to-burst-into-flames angle, something I really loved.

"George, hun, you don't need to go." Drew simpered, giving the guy puppy dog eyes. She was charm speaking, and for a second he hesitated, before stuttering something and stumbling away as fast as he could. Hmm. Love drunk wasn't just a phrase – when you deal with Drew and her cronies, it's a serious danger.

She turned her beautiful eyes on me, but she didn't smile and act like she was draped in sugar. No, the look she gave me was pure malice and annoyance - of course she didn't love or even particularly like 'George', where would the fun in that be, but she was still angry. She was like a little child in the playground, put out that another kid had taken her toy away. Spoiled brat.

"I don't see why you had to do that." She said, sounding hurt. I flopped down beside her, and she immediately pulled away, shuffling to the furthest side of the blanket. Everything stank of romantic perfume, and I pulled a face, trying not to sneeze. I sighed instead, because sometimes I wondered if she even understood the pain she caused. Maybe she was just a child after all.

"Drew, you can't just run around doing that. It's not right. How would you like it if I went around fucking whoever I wanted? Because pretty soon, people are going to be looking to me to control you. And our lives are going to be messed up enough without us constantly arguing."

She scowls, but I can tell what I've said has at least partly hit home. What she says next surprises me, though.

"I wish we knew what the limits are. You know, for how _much_ we can cheat on each other."

I was shocked, and it must have showed on my face, because she raises a delicate eyebrow at me in confusion.

"So what, you're not going to try at all? Ever?" It comes out sort of strangled, but she just looks even more confused, as though she's watching someone frantically search for something right in front of them.

"Well, no. I already told you that. In the rec room, remember?" Wonderful, now she's looking at me like I'm simple.

"Yeah but I thought you were joking. Just saying it because people were watching." Afterall, who could be _that_ mean?

She laughed, a sort of half manic laugh, and I was reminded of a movie I watched – where the heroine killed the bad guys, only to realize that the bad guys were actually the good guys and she's the bad one, and now the world was going to end. It wasn't a very good movie, but that's what she looked like – like nothing mattered any more, everything important was dead.

"Oh no Leo, why would I ever do things just for show?" Now it's my turn to look at her like she's simple, and for a second, neither of us moves, before she suddenly realizes what she said. I can't help but laugh, because she's been caught up in her own game. And even more surprisingly, she laughs with me, and her voice isn't laced with poison like it normally is. The laughter stops as suddenly as it started, and for a moment we look at each other – her hair coming loose from the invisible clips that held it up, my jacket probably covered in oil, as always.

And then we laugh some more, not because there's something really funny, but because we are so, so different. With the others you can say that they at least have something in common – Piper and Will are both good to the core people, Percy and Thalia both have the same bravery, Annabeth and Luke share a fatal flaw. But us – we are as different as possible for two people to be.

I don't want to end up like my dad – always mooning over my wife, turning away from the world to my work when she deserts me for someone better. And I'm starting to realize that she doesn't want to be like her mum – tied to a man she doesn't love, turning to man after man that she prefers but never able to fully love them, because she can never escape her husband. I could fall in love with Drew, any one could fall in love with Drew, but she can never fall in love with me.

All we can ever do is laugh, which of course is so sobering that I stop immediately.

"Leo?" And there is concern in her voice, not love, never love, but concern. Friendly concern, and it brings me back to another time, when I knocked on the Aphrodite cabin door and talked to Lacy. Maybe Drew wasn't all evil, just another messed up kid doing what she's expected to do and rebelling when she's forced to do something.

"I'm not asking you to be devoted to me, or even to try, but will you think of me?" I blurt out. Dam the AHDA, because she's looking at me now, and I need to finish it. "Will you think of me, when you're out doing something?"

She hesitates. Like me, she does not want to give in. But like me, she does what she has to.

"Yes."


	12. Chapter 12

Percy POV:

Wake up, have shower, get dressed, brush hair, clean teeth. Oh, and worry like crazy about what Thalia's reaction is going to be, especially as she's mad at me now. And yes, I know I deserve it, but things were just beyond messed up now – I didn't know who I was anymore.

All my life, or ever since I'd came to Camp Half-Blood, it had been about me making a choice. It had been the thing that always lingered in my nightmares so that no matter what I was dreaming of, I always had to make the choice. They were terrifying, my old nightmares, because I didn't even know what the choice was, but somehow I always picked wrong.

And now, I know what my choice is. Annabeth or Thalia. Annabeth or Thalia. I am completely and utterly trapped. I drop down onto my bed and put my head in my hands, slumped forward. This wasn't like holding up the sky, because that was excruciating, pure and unfiltered agony where the world seemed to stand still it hurt so much – nothing ever changed there. But this, when you don't know what you'll do, when you can see something terrible flying towards you and you have to decide which side of you should get squished – I would probably have fainted, if not for the soft sigh that sounded from the top bunk.

I wondered if she was awake, after all it was eight in the morning and the only reason I was up was because I didn't sleep well. A few moments later there was another sound more akin to a sand person than a human being. She muttered something incoherent and I sighed, this was gonna be a fun day. I proceeded to get out of bed and look up at her. She had kicked the covers down to her legs in her sleep allowing her body to be exposed to me without leaving much to the imagination. Needless to say, she was drop dead gorgeous. Still pale as the day she had come out of the tree. Her eyes were half closed and she seemed to be staring straight through me. A feeling that strangely didn't creep me out. I began to grow impatient so I reached up and lightly shook her shoulder. "Thalia.. wake up." I whispered, I hadn't the foggiest idea why, had we been in a different setting she would have knocked the bed over on me. She shifted in her sleep, still completely stuck in the other world. For a moment I thought she was having a serious dream, but then she murmured "No.. I don't want the flying ice cream..." I rolled my eyes as I was growing very impatient. So I decided to do the only thing I knew how to do in these circumstances. "Thalia!" I shouted and she shrieked in a very un-Thalia way before literally jumping out of bed and falling onto me.

Given our current lack of clothing, being that she was only in a sports bra and boy shorts and I was only wearing a tee shirt and boxers, to say it was awkward would be a huge understatement. She was wide awake now and mostly aware of what was going on. Now, normally I would be pissed on account that she had fallen on me and now my back was throbbing, but normally she wasn't half naked. In reality I was trying very hard to keep my friend from saying hello. Because if he did, well... I don't think he'd ever do it again. "Percy.." She muttered, still not entirely aware of herself. "Where are we?" She yawned in a very cute way and I was hard pressed not to grin. "Uh.. Well right now we're on the floor of my cabin. You fell on me."

She really had no idea what to say now. It was comical.

_One hour and two sets of clothing later_

"What, didn't I mention I'm blind folding you?" So of course she gives me a look that reminds me of her Medusa shield – not because she didn't look damn hot right now, but because looks can kill with Thalia around.

"Seaweed brain, whatever your planning, it's a terrible idea and it won't work." Stubborn as ever.

"Then you have nothing to worry about." And I tie the bandage round her eyes, trying not to stroke her cheek whilst I did it. Damn, I thought I'd got over that, this sudden need to touch her, but it was still like she was a magnet for me, and I couldn't get away. I hastily stepped away and grabbed her hand, resisting the temptation to slide my hand around her waist.

She gets more and more worried as we walk on, though despite her harsh and unrepeatable words she seems to trust me, only panicking when we get to the beach.

"Percy? Percy, you can't be serious, I can't- I can't go on a beach, damn it you know I can't-" She's so scared I immediately want to wrap my arms around her. So I do, pulling her hands around my neck and hugging her too me. It's so different from before though, when we were being watched. That was friendship. This was kissing her hair and letting her shake in my arms as she buries her face in my neck.

This was wonderful. It shouldn't feel good for a million and one reasons, but that didn't matter when we were together like this.

"Percy" She says, and she sounds about a hundred times braver. "Why do you want me to go in the ocean? Your father will fry me. I feel like I'm drowning when I even go near a large puddle_. _How can I . . . ."

"Because I'll be with you. Don't be afraid, my dad won't attack his own son, and as you're to be his daughter-in-law soon, I think we should, you know, get this over with." Ugh. And I was supposed to be comforting her. Since there really wasn't anything else to say, or at least nothing I could say without sounding dorky, we both took off our shoes and I pulled her towards the beach edge.

Trust me to forget she was blindfolded. She tripped on a loose rock and went cascading into me, and for a second she looked at me as though she was about to say something, maybe ask about the blindfold. But then a wave came gliding along the shore – and the moment her toes touched the water, she shrieked like a little girl and clambered into my arms.

I never intended for her to wrap her legs around my waist, or for my hands to automatically support her by gripping her thighs, or for her hair to brush against my cheeks, or for my lips to connect once, very softly with hers.

I never intended to enjoy it when she wound her arm around my neck, holding me there, prolonging the kiss. I never intended for her eyes to widen innocently as she pulled away, ducking her head and hiding it in my hair. I never intended to lose control of my lips and brush the delicately against her hair. _Annabeth hated this_. She never let me kiss her hair, and no way in hell would she have let me hold her like this.

It was hard to admit, but there were things wrong with our relationship. Things I'd never thought through – I'd always known she hated for me to carry her, but I never thought about it as a flaw with us. But with Thalia, she can lean on me, trust me, let me hold her up and still stand on her two feet. Annabeth couldn't do that, she could never trust me like this.

Slowly, I stepped backwards into the water. Instantly the waves became fiercer, battering around my legs as though trying to make me drop her. But I didn't, how could I ever drop her when she trusted me? I took another three steps, till the water was up to my knees, Thalia clinging to me like I was the only bit of driftwood in a storm. She shivered and shook, and I desperately wanted to take off the damn blindfold, but I knew it was essential.

And then I finally, finally got it. What had made the Greeks pray to my dad so much, how such a good man had caused every hurricane and tsunami since the fall of Kronos, why all the other gods were afraid of Poseidon.

_How dare you? How _dare _you take the sky's brat and let her into the ocean? _His voice seemed to come from everywhere, the ocean, the land, the sky, the very recess of my soul. He was shaking with fury, and horror images washed through my head – scenes of destruction, of chaos and pain, scenes my dad had caused.

"Dad, listen to me." I said, trying to speak normally. The waves crashed against us, and it was all I could do to keep Thalia and myself from harm. Every time a water droplet landed on her, she flinches but says nothing, and I'm powerless to help it.

"LISTEN TO ME!" I shouted, digging my heels into the muck. For a second everything stopped, the water literally froze in mid crash. "I don't care whether you voted for this law. That doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that in time, Thalia will be my wife and your daughter-in-law. Your _daughter,_ dad. But she can't even come near my true home place, because she's afraid of you. Because you won't let her in the water, even now. Please dad, look at her. After everything she's done for Olympus, for me, can you please just find it in your heart to accept her. She's blindfolded, dad. She can't see and she can't fight but she'll walk in here, utterly defenseless, if it will just get you to be nice.

Please dad. Please"


	13. Chapter 13

Above And Beyond

Percy POV:

"_LISTEN TO ME!" I shouted, digging my heels into the muck. For a second everything stopped, the water literally frozen in mid crash. "I don't care whether you voted for this law. That doesn't matter anymore. What matters is the fact that Thalia will be my wife and your daughter-in-law. Your daughter,_ _dad. But she can't even come near my cabin, or my true home place, the sea, because she's afraid of you. Because you won't let her in the water, even now. Please dad, look at her! After everything she's done for Olympus, for me, can you please just find it in your heart to accept her? She's blindfolded, dad. She can't see and she can't fight but she'll walk in here, utterly defenseless, if it will just get you to be nice._

_Please dad. Please"_

For a second there was silence, and then Thalia gasped. She froze in my arms and for a second I thought she had died, that he'd killed her. I'd never fully appreciated it before, how dangerous my dad could be. He'd always been nice to me, and I guess I simply didn't think about how he treated his enemies.

But then the moment passed, and she collapsed against me, her body relaxing. She took gasping breaths and I clung to her, suddenly aware that her legs were wrapped around my waist and she was sort of straddling me. I squirmed, uncomfortable because I knew she didn't want this.

Apparently she could sense that because her breathing slowed and she leaned back, still shaking a little bit. I rubbed circles on her hip with my thumb, now that I had apparently accomplished my mission, I had no clue as to what I was doing. I started to move my hand away but she pulled one hand from my neck and reached down to stop me.

"I can take the blindfold off." She announced, taking my hand again and guiding it to the blindfold. I quickly pulled at it, wrapping the bandage half around my wrist and trying not to look at her eyes. I didn't know if I could handle eye contact, what with how she still wasn't letting go of me.

"So can you go in the water now?" I say, simply to say something.

"Yep. Your dad gave me the okay, s'long as I talk to _my_ dad about you being a loud to fly."

_Fly? _"You don't need to do that. I mean, you don't like heights, do you? So there's no need for that." I say hastily, and I make the mistake of looking at her. She has that mischievous look in her eye, and her lips are curled into a half smile I recognize – unfortunately, I'd seen it before. Things tended to start blowing up and mysteriously setting fire when she got that look.

"Oh no. You drag me into the sea; I'll drag you into the air." Gulp. Not that I was scared or anything but uh, the air? Zeus's territory? Not a place I'd go willingly.

But as I said – the Thalia look. This wasn't a choice, this was a punishment, and she took justice _very_ seriously.

"So why can't you let go if you can go in the sea?" I blurt out, hoping – fruitlessly, probably – to distract her. She just shrugs.

"So? I don't want to get down." She says, hugging me tighter. I look at her, astonished and she laughs. And evil look covers my face, though thankfully she's too busy laughing to care, because suddenly I grab her tighter, wrapping my left arm around her waist and my right around her shoulders. It's her turn to look surprised as I give her my best cocky grin and launch us both into the air, arching backwards.

If you never have propelled yourself backwards, head first into deep water, go do it. There's an insane rush, I'd imagine it's like skydiving or something like that. Thalia is gripping my shoulder like crazy, snarling curses under her breath. It appeared I had surprised her. Any other time and I would be impressed at her expansive knowledge of offensive language, in both English and Ancient Greek, but that was when we hit the water.

Of course I was fine, and I protected Thalia from the pain of the landing. We plunged down maybe three feet before I swung us round, encasing both of us in a giant bubble. She gasped for air, her black hair falling in her face, and gave me a really, _really_ dirty look. I refused to back down though, gently lowering her legs so I was holding onto her but no longer carrying her. I slowly turned her round so she could see out of our bubble.

It was amazing, beautiful, extraordinary. A thousand fish of all shapes and sizes swam past, dancing past each other, chasing each other. They weren't tropical fish, but the way they moved – they were more graceful than dancers. The light filtered down, glinting off their scales. I'd done this before, on my own and with Annabeth, but they were putting on a real show now. Apparently, my dad wanted to show off to his future daughter that he was the most powerful, because there was no way this could normally happen. A fish with deep blue scales darted through a twirling spiral made of little silver fish, and that's when I noticed that the blue fish had human eyes. But before I could say anything, it was lost among the mass of shimmering beauty.

"Wow." Thalia's mouth was hanging open, and she half whispered the word. I tightened my arm round her waist, tucking my chin into her shoulder. I winked at her, smiling as I whispered in her ear.

"Told you that you wanted this." She responds by elbowing me, but any of her anger at my stunt has dissolved. We float quietly for a while, just gazing at the show that becomes slowly more and more surreal - till we are watching the creation of horses made out of colorful fish, complete with a shining white stallion galloping underwater and crashing through the sea creatures, snorting at us and galloping away. When we look around again the fish have disappeared, the show has ended, and we are silent, standing together under the water in awe.

Thalia POV:

I've always been scared of the water. I learned to swim at school but only after hours of me refusing to go in and the teacher's threatening me. I wasn't happy but when they said they would tell my mother, I slowly went in. It felt like swimming in acid, but I got there.

They day I was able to stop was the day I _swore_ I would never go near water again. I didn't know about the river Styx yet but for a six year old, it was a pretty solemn promise. Now, I was underwater in a bubble, being held up by Percy and watching the world's most incredible marine display. It was so beautiful that I almost couldn't wait till my wedding, when Poseidon would get the big guns out.

Oh yeah, the conversation I had with the Lord of the Ocean. Well, it was scary. _Really_ scary, and normally I don't admit to the things I'm scared of, but even Ares would have been shaking if he'd been in my place. It was like I had the weight of the entire ocean forcing me down, and I could see things, glimpses of places so dark they had never, _ever_ seen sunlight – and underwater volcanoes, blistering and bubbling, sea monsters fighting each other in the depths of the sea. And then all of a sudden, I was on in a castle.

Start Flashback

I don't mean a tourist trap, rocky old Heritage 'castle' with a few moss covered walls and sign after sign saying DO NOT ENTER in bold letters, or even an actual palace in Europe – this was underwater. I was leaning against a balcony railing overlooking the courtyard, and it was the most amazing view, thousands of stone and coral buildings sloping down the hill. Granted, a lot of them were under construction, but when the construction was being undertaken by mermen, dolphins and the odd Cyclops – it just added to the décor.

"Shall I take your gaping mouth as a compliment, my dear?" I spun around so fast I should have slashed my hand against the delicately designed stone and pearl railing, but nothing happened. No blood, no bruise, no pain. I glanced from my palm to the sea-green eyes of Lord Poseidon, and raised an eyebrow.

"What am I doing here, my Lord?" No need to ask where I was, this could only be the Underwater Palace of legends, where no mortal or demi-god has ever set foot, except for the children of the ocean itself. Well, technically I wasn't here, but still. No way was this just some 'small' thing.

He sighs, and waves his hand – instantly two chairs appear, again delicately wrought stone and pearl, but these have some kind of soft looking cushion. I desperately hope it isn't sea weed as I cautiously sit down, looking again to Poseidon for answers.

"Thalia, I watched you grow up" He starts, studying the floor. I am surprised by the direction this conversation has taken, but I go with it "And I was jealous. By that time all my demi-god children had died, and I had no-one who was _new_. Much as I love my family, I missed having children who surprised me, who added something to my life. When your family's is made up of only the immortals you have been with for four thousand years – well, it gets a little repetitive. So I made your life miserable. I did the very worst things I could do to you – disturb you, turn people against you, annoy you, everything from twisting people's minds to make them hate you to switching your test scores to give you pathetic grades. I _hated_ you Thalia, and it was like a game to me, doing everything I could without letting you realize your true heritage, without letting you come to camp and make a home.

I'm sorry for that. In the name of us all I am so _sorry_. My only explanation is that I lost some of my humanity when I stopped visiting the mortal world. I'm sorry that it took me so long to realise that _I_ was the one at fault, that _I_ needed to go back to the mortal world, to stop running from it . . . ." His voice trails into silence and he stares at the courtyard below it as though he is seeing something nowhere near as beautiful, and dam it if my eyes were wet. I never, _ever _cried. This was wrong on some many levels that I didn't even process what he was saying properly, just saved it for later. Later, I would think it through. My time here was limited, after all.

"So, um, why am I . . . ." And he gives me a friendly, thankful smile, releasing the railing and sitting down. He waves his hand again and a small table appears before us, piled up with different snacks. He grabs a cracker without thought, and motions for me to take something, so I copy him.

"Well, you're here because my son is right. I don't hunt you anymore Thalia and I am as sincere as can be when I say I mean you no harm at all, but I've never let you go in the ocean at all, have I? That trick in the swimming pool was plain nasty of me. But now you're going to be part of my family –"

"Which you don't want. Whatever you say, this wasn't your plan, was it?" I feel bad for saying it, but he's one of those people, like a sales person because the smile never quite disappears from their face. He takes it seriously though, chewing thoughtfully before answering.

"No. No, I never wanted this for Percy. But it had to happen. I know we said that _we_ wouldn't bear children with random women and men because it was unethical, but really it was because we couldn't do that to our spouses. Can you imagine the chaos if Zeus went and did, you know, with just about anybody, and Hera was supposed to encourage it as part of the new law? She'd explode with rage. We just didn't want to say we were weak, fragile. I understand your anger in us, but if there was another way we would have taken it. So please, just have a little faith if you will, in us."

"You still haven't –"

"No. But to keep it brief, I agree with my son. You should join us, you're family now or will be soon. But it would be dangerous and unfair to just give you what you want. You know what you have to do."

"Ugh. Talk to my dad? He's not as accessible you know, and just for the record, it was Percy's idea. I had nothing to do with it. Oh and what does he think? Of me just, you know, fading out."

"Don't worry. It's been no more than a second for him, though you really should be getting back. Tell you what, come back again. Not in your mind, come back for real with Percy, after the wedding, if you want to of course, I can bring out all my favorite things and explain properly."

"I'd love to." I say, and no sooner than that and I get a tingly sensation all over as I slowly wake up in Percy's arms.


	14. Chapter 14

Luke POV:

Get up. Get out. You're in danger.

That's about all that ran through my head when I woke up that morning. The atmosphere was so tense; you would have needed an electric saw just to make a dent in it. And yes, these people where my family. My _only _family, aside from my dad, who didn't really want me alive. It's just a vibe I got, like he loved me but couldn't ignore the fact that it would be easier, safer and more comfortable for him if I had stayed dead. Then he could have missed me, mourned me and forgot me.

So yes, it hurt when my brothers turned away from me. It hurt when my sisters looked through me, when nobody would catch my eye and tell me what the rules were now. And the worst of it was that there was no feeling of injustice. There was no anger at them because they had done nothing wrong, and whilst I wanted so bad to shout and make them listen to me, I couldn't. I deserved anything they did to me. I deserved to burn in Hades.

The thought brought a wry smile to my face; they wanted me to burn, to torture me. Well, here I was.

Alone and in pain.

Well, maybe not all alone. The small smile became a full blown grin as I hopped out of bed, sort of half made the sheets, and got ready. Nobody got in my way, which still bothered me, but I ignored it. Ten minutes later I was on my way to the Athena cabin, and whilst some people looked over and gave me the evils, most acted as though I was just a nobody who wasn't their business – at least no-one had attacked me, yet.

"Where are you going?" Called a voice, and I ducked before I even saw the knife coming. A lifetime with Clarisse had given me a few good guidelines to follow. The first was that Clarisse likes to punctuate her questions with some sort of attempt to kill me, and the second was that a failed attempt to kill me usually resulted in a second. She grunted and I scampered out of her way as she gave an almighty tug and pulled her knife from the tree it had hit.

"What, no ring of sniggering idiots to back you up? Where are your small minded followers?" I duck again as she swings a punch at me. It's not serious though – this is what we've been doing for years. As a Hermes kid, I wasn't one to avoid someone because of where they came from but one of those guys who got on reasonably well with anyone. If I'd been thinking with my right mind when I took that quest, I would have taken Clarisse. On her own she's volatile and a bad leader, but as part of a team she is everything she needs to be and more.

She growled menacingly back at me, but there is an edge to it that I recognize. Years ago, we had started this, well, I guess you could call it 'friendship'. Basically we beat each other up, just as we were expected to, but we never inflicted too much pain. We avoided the teeth, never broke bones and didn't tear up each other's magical items. That's not to say I hadn't got some horrible bruises off of her, and I'd once spray painted peace signs and flowers all over her walls, but we weren't too bad. We got by.

"So, Clarisse, how's it going? I never saw you as the marriage type." I say, tauntingly. Annoyance flickers in her eyes and she reaches for her knife – she is nothing if not predictable – and pulls it half way out of its sheath. I move fast, springing to her side so she thinks I'm going to dodge again and then flitting in and tearing the knife right from her sweaty hand. I dance away and twirl it between my fingers.

"Ah, just like old times, Clarisse. And thus the games never end." I say, smirking.

"Hey, that is not fair!" She whined. I just grin. I have higher ground and a knife in my hand, whilst she has nothing. There is no move she can make that wouldn't result in me throwing my knife at her before she even touched me. I win again.

"And for your information, I was off to see Annabeth. Now, tell me what's going down in the Ares cabin, or die." Threateningly, I pointed my knife at her, and she rolled her eyes. Did I mention that she also couldn't leave without being stabbed?

"You are such a child, Luke" She muttered, sitting down and leaning against a tree, the same one she had hit with a knife. I made a mental not that if I ever wanted to play a prank on Clarisse to ask that dryad for help, as I'm sure she would be more than willing. I smiled sweetly at Clarisse and raise an eyebrow, silently asking where my answer was. Ok, I would never _kill _Clarisse, or at least I wouldn't without Kronos, but there was nothing to stop me from hitting her shoulder or something. It's not like shoulder wounds even took that long to heal, so why the hell not?

"So? Being childish means I get my way. Now come on, I want to hear all the gossip. Your marring my brother, aren't you? Speak, prisoner."

"Oh, whatever. I really don't know what you're looking for. Everyone's first thought was that I was well, not lucky, but that I was probably going to marry Chris anyway, so who the Hell cares? I was going to marry the man of my dreams in any kind of wedding I wanted and everyone thought I should be _pleased_. Because I didn't have to wait around for the git to ask and all that and that I could stay here in camp with my own cabin. Then they realised that I would have to appoint a new head Counselor for the cabin, so their all sucking up to me."

She snorts, and I really don't know what to say. She is sadder than I ever thought she would be – no matter what, Clarisse always had a gleam in her eye, always had a smirk on her face. So being me, I just make a bad joke.

"Sucking up to you? What, like more than normal?" She laughs, a smile breaking out on her face. And then so fast I didn't think it possible, she reaches behind her and rips a branch off of the tree. I can almost hear the Dryad's anger as Clarisse wields the branch above her head and swings it at me, expertly hitting my collarbone and then swinging round to hit my waist, and finally the back of my knees so I crumple.

Anyone who has ever been hit by a tree branch can understand my reaction, immediately dropping the knife and sacrificing the higher ground by rolling away. The branches are thin, like a whip, but it's as hard as a club. It is without a doubt the supreme weapon of choice to use when there are no proper ones available, and my life has been saved many times already by a good strong twig.

"Ha ha. Now who's the prisoner, Castellan? She returns the knife to its sheaf, twirling the stick in her hands. The look on her face is torn between triumph at beating me so completely and the desire to act cool. Triumph wins and she grins at me like a very evil little kid.

"Wonderful. Let me guess, I have to go on a mock quest for you again, don't I?" I ask wearily. That's usually what she makes me do when she wins. That's our other little rule. When one of us beats the other so completely, when it really shouldn't have been possible, we will do whatever the other one tells us to, properly and without cutting corners.

"Oh, no. I am a much more intelligent woman now, Castellan. You have to tell me the truth." She said smugly, and I couldn't help but give her a weird look. It looked like the craziness hadn't worn off of camp, at least.

"Oh, don't look at me like that" She said, jabbing me with the stick. "I want you to tell me what went on last night with Annabeth. I was there you know, and I've rarely even seen her that um, _flirtatious_ with Percy. It was a little sickly, actually. So, explain."

Great, just great. What was there to say? Options span through my mind, and I, yet again, wished I could have Annabeth's sharp mind. She always knew what angle to play, always forming a plan and knowing what had to be said. That she was more flirtatious with me than with Percy didn't go unnoticed, either. A sharp jab from Clarisse's new favorite toy brought me back to reality.

"Oh, fine. I don't really know. It was sort of like old times, at first. We just worked together as partners as we always had, when she suddenly found this letter from her mother and went all weird. And then – well, I guess you saw the hugging."

She snorts. "Hugging, Luke? Kissing someone's hair as they sit in your lap is not 'hugging'. And I think everyone, including Thalia and Percy, saw. But whatever, we'll discuss _that_ later. Now tell me what happened after wards."

I sigh through my nose, and ran my hand through my hair. I think I preferred the laundry, even if Clarisse had soaked it in onions, so I cried the entire time. Yet another jab with the stick, and I scowled at Clarisse. She just grinned at me.

"Stop panicking, we didn't _do_ anything. I know everyone thinks I'm evil but –"

"Not everyone thinks your evil. So many new people have come since you left, because of what Percy did mainly, but also because of you. And Percy and Annabeth have always been so good about telling your story as though you're a hero. Yes Luke, you do owe Percy, so stop pulling that your face. So most of the new kids think you're a good person who made a mistake and then rectified it, and by doing that helped to get them to camp. And sure, all the old timers are going to be telling the Newbies the truth now, but if you go out and be nice to them, most of them will probably still like you. So stop mopping around and do something that might help you. Now, continue."

"O-kay. Basically, we planned the wedding, which I assume you're invited to. If not then, hey, you're invited now. And then we just walked back to our cabins and we chatted for a while. She told me about redesigning Olympus and I told her about you know, being dead. Then she went all weird for a second. She just looked at me and asked me if I was happy. Didn't even give me the chance to answer, just ran off to her cabin.

My own cabin was awful, nobody would speak to me or look at me or anything, and I was just left standing in the doorway. I think it was their way of saying that I'd turned my back on them so they would turn their back on me. It was deadly. I'm amazed that I made it through the night, to be honest, I hate it there. I feel like crap because this is supposed to be home and I know how upset Annabeth is about leaving her cabin but I can't wait to get out. To top it all off we have to start living together soon, I saw Thalia move her stuff into Percy's cabin last night."

She seems to think for a moment, her head tilted, her hand only loosely gripping the branch. I could probably steal it off of her, but I've had enough of nicking people's things, especially my friends. Never again, not seriously. It was a fun hobby when it was just a hobby, but I never wanted greed to rule my life again. Ever.

"Hmm. Well, I have no insight at all, I'm afraid. Annabeth's question is completely mad, and your siblings are evil. Chris included if he doesn't start talking to you. If I can offer you some friendly advice though, Annabeth is lost. She no longer has her life with Percy and now she has a life with you, but she doesn't know what that means. She's been making plans all her life and now it's all out of her control, so I think your best way into her life is by being with her, being stable. I know you suck at consistency but just do what you did yesterday and be there for her. Ok? Like yesterday. By the way the living together thing isn't as bad as it's cracked up to be." She would know, she had moved in with her betrothed as soon as she had left the dining pavilion after the announcement.

I chuckled softly. I can feel myself being dismissed, so I stand up and stretch. I know Annabeth is an early bird, so I had to leave now if I was to catch her. With a quick wave and a silent goodbye, I head out to say good morning and be the rock for the love of my life. We also had a burning need to discuss living arrangements.


End file.
